Former Australian Catholic bishop Christopher Saunders has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison for sexually abusing two young Aboriginal men during his time as a senior cleric in Western Australia.

Saunders, 76, was sentenced on Wednesday after being found guilty in August of one count of rape and 12 counts of indecent assault.

He will be eligible for parole in February 2031.

Saunders is among the most senior Catholic Church leaders in the world to face criminal proceedings over sexual abuse.

Court hears of systematic grooming

The District Court of Western Australia heard that Saunders systematically groomed the two victims during the period covered by the charges.

He was found to have invited the young men to gatherings where they were encouraged to remove their shirts and supplied them with alcohol. Prosecutors said church funds and properties were sometimes used in connection with the encounters.

The offences occurred between 2010 and 2019 and included kissing and indecently assaulting the victims. In one instance, Saunders was convicted of forcing one of the young men to perform oral sex.

During the trial, several other child sexual abuse charges were dropped, while Saunders was acquitted of allegations involving a third young man.

Victim says he was treated like a ‘toy’

One of the victims told the court in a statement that he continued to struggle with the abuse and its impact on his life.

“I was a toy that he was using,” he wrote.

The victim also said he had trusted Saunders and believed the bishop wanted him to become a better person.

“I trusted him. I thought he wanted me to be a better person,” he said.

Judge condemns abuse of authority

District Court Judge Martin Flynn said Saunders had presented himself as an advocate for young Aboriginal men but instead abused his position of authority and exploited the vulnerability of the victims.

The judge said Saunders had disregarded the dignity of the young men and caused them lasting harm.

Saunders had resigned as Bishop of Broome after allegations against him emerged publicly in 2020.

He was first ordained as a priest in 1976 and spent most of his career serving in the remote Kimberley region of north-western Australia. He became Bishop of Broome in 1996.

The Broome diocese covers about 770,000 square kilometres, an area roughly comparable in size to Turkey.

Church apologises to victims

The Archbishop of Perth, Timothy Costelloe, said the men who came forward had demonstrated courage and resilience in seeking justice.

“We are sorry for the pain and suffering that was inflicted on you. We are sorry that your trust was so directly and profoundly betrayed by a leader of the church,” Costelloe said.

He added that no court sentence could undo the harm suffered by the victims or restore everything they had lost.

Pope-ordered inquiry led to renewed investigation

The allegations against Saunders first emerged in 2020, but an initial police investigation was closed without charges.

A subsequent historic inquiry ordered by Pope Francis led to renewed police investigations into the allegations.

The Catholic Church had previously suspended its own investigation into Saunders while police pursued their criminal case. Costelloe has said the church inquiry will resume.

The church is also under pressure to remove Saunders’ remaining title and ministry powers. Costelloe said the decision would ultimately be determined by authorities in Rome.

Saunders among highest-ranking Catholic officials charged

The case is significant because of Saunders’ senior position within the Catholic Church.

Only a small number of investigations under Vos Estis Lux Mundi, a Vatican framework introduced in 2019 to address sexual abuse and misconduct involving bishops and other senior church officials, have been conducted worldwide.

The framework, whose Latin name means “You Are the Light of the World,” was established to strengthen accountability for senior Catholic leaders.

Apart from the late Cardinal George Pell, who was convicted in Australia before being acquitted on appeal, Saunders is the most senior Catholic official in the country to have faced criminal charges for sexual offences.