A retired Catholic bishop on trial for sex crimes might have been unusual, boozy and sleazy, but he's not guilty, his lawyer says.
Former Bishop of Broome Christopher Alan Saunders, 76, is fighting a slew of sexual assault charges after allegedly abusing three young Aboriginal men.
Prosecutors say Saunders, known as Brother B by his alleged victims, hosted alcohol-fuelled parties using church funds so he could target the men.
His lawyer, Tony Hager, on Tuesday said the now-retired clergyman doesn't deny having boozy parties at his Kimberley home where young men often stripped off their shirts and shorts.
"(But) he is not on trial for having (Aboriginal men) at his residence drinking," he told the West Australian District Court during his closing remarks.
"(And) he is not on trial for misuse of church funds."
Mr Hagar said his client's behaviour was at times unusual and boozy, "and it might even be sleazy", but it wasn't sexual.
Saunders denies the alleged events took place.
His lawyer urged the jury to set apart any prejudices they may have towards the Catholic Church.
"He is not on trial as a representative for the Catholic Church," Mr Hagar said.
"He is on trial for specific allegations brought by three individuals.”
Prosecutor Adam Ebell said the three complainants had given raw, honest and credible evidence about the abuse they had suffered.
The main complainant was 16 years old when Saunders started grooming him at his Broome home during regular visits during which he was given alcohol, he said.
The interactions over the decade that followed allegedly involved kissing, naked wrestling, touching of private areas and penetrative sex.
"(The young man) did not want the accused to touch him in a sexual way and he did not want to touch the accused in a sexual way,” Mr Ebell said.
The then-teen gave evidence during the trial that he felt disgusted by his interactions with Saunders.
But he felt compelled to please the then-bishop and was afraid he would be "shut out"
Saunders allegedly told the youth he was like a son to him.
Mr Ebell said Saunders exploited the power imbalance between himself and the young man.
"The accused had a sexual interest in young Aboriginal men and a tendency to act on that interest when the opportunity presented itself," he said.
But the former bishop's lawyer attacked the witnesses as convicted criminals with long records, who had abused alcohol and drugs during their lives, which impacted their memories, he said.
The main complainant was further motivated to lie because he wanted early parole and Saunders had stopped giving him money in prison.
"You may have sympathy … but I make this observation: you need to focus in on the quality of his evidence and assess the evidence as it is with the impairments built in from the substance abuse," he said.
Saunders was on trial for 26 sexual assault charges when the trial started in July, but that dropped to 19 after Judge Martin Flynn told the jury last week that it would not be required to reach a verdict on seven charges.
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