Bishop Emeritus Christopher Alan Saunders faces 14 counts of unlawful and indecent assault and two counts of sexual penetration without consent. Aged 74, the prelate, who is due to appear in court on Thursday, was also charged with three counts of “violating the modesty of a child” aged 16 to 18.
The Archbishop of Perth, Timothy Costelloe, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference, described the accusations as "deeply upsetting" In 2019, Australian Cardinal George Pell was sentenced to six years in prison for sexual assault on two altar boys.