The disgraced former bishop of Broome who used Church funds and properties to target vulnerable Aboriginal men will learn his prison sentence next month. Source: WA Today.
Christopher Alan Saunders, 76, appeared in WA District Court yesterday after he was found guilty by a jury on 13 charges including unlawful and indecent assault and penetration without consent in August.
The trial, which ran for three weeks, found Saunders had committed the offences against two Aboriginal men who were devout Catholics and lived in the Broome Diocese.
The jury found Saunders had engaged in systemic grooming of the two victims, including instances where the bishop would use church funds and church-owned properties to have alcohol-fuelled “shirts-off” parties.
Saunders was set down to learn his fate on Monday morning, but District Court Judge Martin Flynn flagged early in the hearing he would not be delivering his final sentence until a later date, and instead opted to hear the prosecution and defence’s sentencing submissions.
Prosecutor Adam Ebell said there were several aggravating factors in relation to the bishop’s offending, including the large age gaps between the two victims – a difference of 42 and 44 years, respectively – his position of power, his breaching of trust, and the ongoing nature of his offending against one victim.
Mr Ebell argued the bishop knew about his seniority in the community, and the inherent vulnerability of the two victims who had issues with alcohol.
There continues to be ongoing legal questions about how to deal with the rape charge against one of the victims, due to his age at the time of the offending, but defence lawyer Tony Hager said his client accepted the appropriate sentence would likely mean “immediate imprisonment”.
Mr Hager said it would be important for Judge Flynn to consider the bishop had no prior record and had done “good work” in the name of the Catholic Church.
However, the judge said he would struggle to accept “good character” evidence on face value.
Mr Hager continually emphasised while Saunders accepted the jury’s verdict, he would maintain his innocence.
Sentencing will be handed down on October 7.
FULL STORY
Australia’s senior most Catholic convicted of sexual abuse faces immediate jail time (By Hannah Murphy, WA Today)
