The trial of former Western Australian Catholic Bishop Christopher Alan Saunders has taken a significant turn, with the presiding judge directing the jury to disregard seven of the sexual abuse charges against him due to a lack of evidence.

Judge Martin Flynn informed the jurors on Friday morning that they would not be required to return verdicts on those seven specific charges, stating there was insufficient evidence to find Mr. Saunders guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Despite this development, the 76-year-old remains accused of 19 other sexual offences alleged to have occurred during his tenure as the Bishop of Broome.

Accusations and Court Revelations

Mr. Saunders, who was ordained as the Bishop of Broome in 1996 and served as one of the state's longest-serving Catholic clerics, is accused of committing offences against three young men. The court was informed that the former bishop will not be giving evidence in his own defence.

Throughout the proceedings, prosecutors have detailed allegations regarding social gatherings hosted by Mr. Saunders at his church-owned residence in Broome and another property referred to as the "beach house." Witnesses alleged these gatherings involved young Aboriginal men, a strict "shirts off" dress code, and a continuous supply of alcohol.

Police Interviews and Denials

The jury was shown video recordings of police interviews from 2024 and 2025, conducted after Mr. Saunders had retired from his position. During these interrogations, detectives questioned him on specific allegations, including claims that he touched an alleged victim sexually with his foot and kissed a man at his beach house. Mr. Saunders vehemently denied the allegations, describing the claims as "outrageous" and "bloody nonsense."

Detectives also confronted Mr. Saunders with footage obtained from a covert surveillance camera installed inside his Broome home in early 2024. The footage captured Mr. Saunders and another man—who is not one of the alleged victims in this trial—sitting together with their feet on each other's laps while watching television. While police clarified they were not alleging any assault occurred in that footage, they argued the behavior aligned with the grooming and physical contact patterns described by the complainants. Mr. Saunders maintained to police that the interactions were entirely non-sexual and non-abusive.

The Defense's Position

Two complainants have testified that Mr. Saunders used his feet to touch them intimately without their consent. In his final interviews with police, Mr. Saunders rejected all claims of inappropriate behavior, including an allegation of indecent touching during a physical wrestling match.

Earlier in the trial, defense counsel urged the jury to remain impartial, cautioning them not to allow broader public criticism or historical grievances against the Catholic Church to cloud their evaluation of the specific evidence presented in this case.

With the prosecution and defense cases now resting, closing arguments are scheduled to commence on Monday morning.