# Sexual assault sentencing in Australia and New Zealand > Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sexual-assault-sentencing-in-australia-and-new-zealand > Updated: 2026-10-29T19:16:45.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2. Recent judicial proceedings in the Oceania region have resulted in prison sentences for individuals convicted of sexual offenses. In Australia, former Catholic Bishop Christopher Saunders was sentenced to six and a half years in prison by a District Court on October 7, 2026. Saunders, the former Bishop of Broome, was found guilty of 13 charges involving the sexual assault of two young Indigenous men between 2008 and 2019. The court heard evidence that the offenses involved grooming through the provision of alcohol and money. The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference issued an apology for the harm caused to the victims. In New Zealand, Peter Hugh Ensor was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court following a jury trial. Ensor was found guilty of five counts of rape, one count of unlawful sexual connection, and two counts of indecent assault against a minor. The court noted the offenses involved premeditation and grooming. Ensor has denied the charges and indicated intentions to appeal. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-29: Peter Hugh Ensor sentenced for historic sexual offenses in Christchurch Peter Hugh Ensor was sentenced in Christchurch after being found guilty of multiple historic sexual offenses against a girl under 16. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/peter-hugh-ensor-sentenced-for-historic-sexual-offenses-in-christchurch ### 2026-10-09: Christopher Saunders sentenced to prison for sexual assault Former Australian Bishop Christopher Saunders has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting two young Indigenous men in the Diocese of Broome. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/christopher-saunders-sentenced-to-prison-for-sexual-assault --- Cite as: Sexual assault sentencing in Australia and New Zealand. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sexual-assault-sentencing-in-australia-and-new-zealand