(AUSTRALIA)
Seven Network - 7news [Eveleigh, NSW Australia]
August 13, 2026
By Cassidy Mosconi
Christopher Saunders has spent weeks fighting historical allegations.
Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders found guilty of abusing Indigenous men
What charges was Christopher Saunders convicted of?
What role did Christopher Saunders hold in the Catholic Church?
Why did the trial against Saunders last three weeks?
A retired Catholic bishop known for hosting boozy parties is now a convicted predator after he was found guilty of sexually abusing two young Aboriginal men.
A jury found Christopher Alan Saunders, 76, guilty of one count of sexual penetration without consent and 12 counts of unlawful and indecent assault following a trial in the West Australian District Court that lasted more than three weeks.
The former Bishop of Broome was found not guilty of six other charges.
There was no reaction from Saunders in the dock as the verdicts were read out.
Saunders had fought allegations he groomed and abused victims in WA’s Kimberley region, when he was one of the country’s most senior Catholic figures.
Prosecutors said the man known as Brother B by his victims had hosted alcohol-fuelled parties using church funds so he could target the men.
The main complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said Saunders started grooming him at a Broome home.
The interactions over the decade that followed involved kissing, naked wrestling, touching of private areas and penetrative sex, he said.
Saunders denied the sexual assaults took place.
His lawyer Tony Hager said the now-retired clergyman does not deny having boozy parties at his Kimberley home where young men often stripped off their shirts and shorts.
“(But) he is not on trial for having (Aboriginal men) at his residence drinking,” he told the court during his closing remarks.
“(And) he is not on trial for misuse of church funds.”
Hagar said his client’s behaviour was at times unusual and boozy, “and it might even be sleazy”, but it wasn’t sexual.
Saunders was ordained as the second Broome bishop in 1996 and presided over 13 schools and nine parishes, before stepping aside in 2020 when the sex abuse claims became public.
Pope Francis accepted his resignation a year later.
Unless acquitted on appeal, Saunders would be the highest-ranking Catholic in Australia convicted of sexual abuse while a member of the clergy.
He will be sentenced at a later date.
Current Broome Bishop apologises to victims: ‘We are deeply sorry’
The current Broome Bishop Tim Norton issued a statement in the wake of Saunders’ guilty verdict, acknowledging the courage of victims, survivors and witnesses who came forward to “express their truth”.
“They showed extraordinary resilience and commitment through a long and difficult process,” Norton’s statement said.
“They deserved to be heard with compassion and treated with dignity.
“We are deeply sorry for the hurt they have experienced. We are sorry for the shame they have endured.
“We are sorry that it has taken so long for their voices to be heard and for their pain to be acknowledged. We will do all we can to reach out to them for hope and healing.”
Norton said the church is aware the victims of “this betrayal” and the broader community’s trust has been fractured.
“Trust has been broken and wounds of betrayal and division have been exposed across the diocese. The hurt extends to those who have placed their trust in our leadership and our Church,” he said.
“Many who have served their parishes and their communities selflessly have been left with difficult questions and unresolved feelings.
“How could such a proud, caring and determined diocese that features such remarkable communities and people be home to such a betrayal of trust? How could our diocesan leadership be involved in such heartless events?
“We can at least respond to these questions with a renewed commitment to ensuring that our diocese today is a place of safety, respect and accountability.”
Norton vowed to create an environment of trust and openness, treating the community with dignity and compassion.
“Over the coming months, I will visit many parts of our diocese. This will be a time of grieving, listening and walking together on a synodal journey into a compassionate next stage for our diocese,” he said.
“I encourage you to raise any concerns or comments that can help during this period of healing.”
Norton previously served as the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Brisbane before he took over in Broome in 2024.
By Cassidy Mosconi
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
13YARN 13 92 76
Lifeline 13 11 14
– With reporting from AAP