A top Australian Catholic bishop acknowledges an eight-year delay in delivering justice in the case against former WA bishop Christopher Saunders, who was convicted over allegations of sexually abusing young Indigenous men. The bishop says the time taken in the process is now being conceded publicly.
According to reports, Archbishop of Perth Timothy Costelloe defends the church’s approach in which police lead the legal process rather than the church handling it directly. Outlets note that while he acknowledges the delay, he argues the arrangement is intended to provide necessary guarantees and appropriate legal safeguards.
Coverage across sources focuses on two aspects: the elapsed time before a verdict and the rationale offered by church leadership for allowing law enforcement to take the lead. While the outlets differ slightly in emphasis, they agree on the acknowledgement of the delay and the defence of the church’s process in the Saunders case.
