SYDNEY, Oct 7 — A former bishop in Australia was sentenced to more than six years in jail today for sexual offences against young men, according to a court official.

Christopher Alan Saunders — the former bishop of Broome — was one of Australia’s most senior Catholics for decades.

He was sentenced in a Western Australian court today to six years and six months in prison, backdated to August 12.

Saunders was found guilty in August of one count of sexual penetration without consent and 12 counts of unlawful and indecent assault.

One of his victims said in a statement read out in court: “I was a toy that he was using... my head is pounding now, I’m in so much pain.”