Former bishop sex abuse trial jury told not to be swayed by church prejudice

The lawyer for a former Catholic bishop who allegedly sexually abused three young men has told his trial the incidents did not happen, and warned the jury not to be affected by possible prejudice against the church.Christopher Alan Saunders, 76, was one of Australia's longest serving Catholic clerics and is accused of committing 26 offences against three young men when he was the Bishop of Broome.The District Court has been told of alcohol-fuelled, "shirts off" parties which Mr Saunders allegedly held in Broome, including the church-owned home he lived in.The prosecutor told the jury of multiple occasions when Mr Saunders allegedly abused the three males in various locations in WA's north.Christopher Saunders has been charged with 26 offences. (ABC Kimberley: Ben Collins)But in his opening statement to the court, Mr Saunders' lawyer Tony Hager said his client denied the sexual allegations."He's saying these things didn't happen," he said.He warned that witnesses may have a motivation to lie or exaggerate, and he suggested that alcohol or substance abuse may have affected their memories.Christopher Saunders (right), arriving at the District Court along with lawyer Tony Hager (left) for the start of the trial. (ABC News: David Weber)Mr Hager also said there was a sentiment in the community regarding "matters of this type" involving people in religious institutions."You have feelings," Mr Hager said, adding that it was "only natural" to have sympathy for those making the allegations."Whatever feelings you may have, they are not to guide you", he told the jury.'Unorthodox socialising': lawyer The court was told on Monday that a number of witnesses would be called to give evidence about their experiences with Mr Saunders, which were not subject to charges.Mr Hager told the jury these accounts could not fill the gaps of "large holes" in the evidence of the three complainants.On Monday, the court was shown clips from surveillance footage recorded covertly at Mr Saunders' home in Broome in 2024.The footage, which has not resulted in any charges, showed Mr Saunders and a man drinking while bare chested, putting their feet on each other's laps.The prosecutor said the surveillance footage was "highly relevant" because it captured his interactions with young Aboriginal men.But Mr Hager told the jury his client was not on trial for "unorthodox socialising" in 2024.Christopher Saunders was Bishop of Broome for 25 years. (ABC Kimberley: Ben Collins)He said it was a case that boiled down to "someone's saying one thing and another person's saying another".Mr Saunders held the position of bishop for 25 years, until his retirement in 2021.The trial, which is set down for three weeks, continues.