Australian jury convicts former Catholic bishop of sexually abusing 2 men
PERTH, Australia (AP) — An Australian jury on Thursday convicted a former Catholic bishop renowned for hosting alcohol-fueled house parties of sexually abusing two young Indigenous men. The District Court of Western…
An Australian jury has convicted former Catholic bishop Christopher Saunders of sexually abusing two young Indigenous men between 2008 and 2019. The District Court of Western Australia found Saunders guilty of 13 out of 19 charges, including sexual penetration without consent and indecent assaults. Prosecutors alleged that he lured young men to his church-owned house with free alcohol and cigarettes paid for with church funds, where they were subjected to the abuse.
Saunders was acquitted of six charges, including a third alleged victim and indecent dealing with a child over the age of 16. The age of consent in the state is 16, but the law raises the effective age to 18 if an older person is in a position of trust, power, or responsibility. This is the first time a senior Australian Catholic has been convicted in the global clergy abuse scandal that has plagued the Vatican.
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