The former Bishop of Broome has appeared in court in the Kimberley town after being charged with 19 criminal offences. Christopher Alan Saunders has indicated he will plead not guilty to 19 criminal offences after being arrested in his WA home.
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00:00 Christopher Alan Saunders appeared before the Broome Magistrates Court today after he
00:07 was arrested at his home by WA police yesterday. He is facing 14 counts of unlawful and indecent
00:14 assault, 2 counts of sexual penetration without consent and 3 counts of being a person in
00:19 authority indecently dealing with a child. The charges were read out to the 74 year old
00:25 in court, his lawyer indicating his client would enter pleas of not guilty. Emeritus
00:31 Bishop Saunders was released on bail on a $10,000 bond and must reside at his home in
00:37 Broome until his next scheduled court appearance in June. Bishop Saunders is one of Australia's
00:42 longest serving senior Catholic clerics, having first been ordained as a priest in 1976 and
00:49 appointed Bishop of Broome 20 years later. He spent a total of almost 50 years here in
00:56 the remote Kimberley region, both here in Broome but also serving several stints at
01:01 remote Aboriginal community parishes.
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