Louis Daniels to face charges of historical sexual abuse
Former Anglican Priest, Louis Daniels has been extradited back to Tasmania to face charges of historical sexual abuse.
Louis Daniels was a member and leader of the Church of England Boys Society (CEBS) in Tasmania. The Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse uncovered that in the 1990’s and 2000’s several people involved in or associated with CEBS in the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania, Sydney and Brisbane were convicted of child sexual abuse offences. These people included:
- Louis Daniels, a member of the clergy in the Diocese of Tasmania.
- Garth Hawkins, a member of the clergy in the Diocese of Tasmania.
- John Elliot, a lay CEBS leader in the Diocese of Tasmania and Brisbane and later a priest in the Diocese of Brisbane.
- Simon Jacobs, a lay CEBS leader in the Diocese of Sydney.
Louis Daniels became a priest in 1975 in the Diocese of Tasmania. By the time he resigned in 1994, he had risen to the position of Archdeacon. He was a prominent member of the CEBS in Tasmania at the National Level from the late 1960’s. He was regarded by some leaders within the Anglican Church as a rising star. Daniels became a priest in 1975 and held a number of senior positions in Tasmania, including as archdeacon of Burnie, until the early 1990’s. In around 1994, the Diocese and Daniels confidentially settled a claim for compensation for abuse by Daniels yet he continued as Archdeacon of Burnie.
In November 1994, Daniels resigned from all roles and moved the Australian Capital Territory and taught as a teacher at several schools in the ACT.
In 1999, Daniels pleaded guilty to and was convicted of child sexual abuse. In 2002, Daniels was deposed from Holy Orders because of his sexual abuse.
In 2005, following a plea of guilty, Daniels was convicted of a series of further child sexual abuse offences relating to six other boys.
Since resigning from the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania in the 1990’s, Daniels has been convicted of more than a dozen child sexual abuse offences and has served two jail terms for sexual offending.
Daniels was arrested in the ACT where he has been living since May and extradited back to Tasmania. He has pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in the Supreme Court of Tasmania next month.
See link to recent article in the ABC https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-27/former-anglican-priest-louis-daniels-pleads-guilty-to-abuse/102148780?utm_source=abc_news_web&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link
How can Stacks Goudkamp Help?
The team at Stacks Goudkamp are advocates for survivors of institutional abuse and do so with compassion, persistence, and clear communication. We strive to ensure cases are dealt with efficiently to guarantee a timely outcome. Our experience in litigation ensures that survivors of institutional abuse receive damages according to law.
Written by Alessandra Pettit
Alessandra Pettit (Ali) is a specialist in historical institutional abuse law and practices exclusively in this area. She has acted for survivors from all walks of life and continues to get outstanding results for her clients. She is compassionate, thorough, professional and kind, always ensuring that her clients feel supported and confident throughout the legal process.
If you or a loved one are a survivor of institutional abuse, you may be entitled to compensation. For more information and to arrange a free, no-obligation conference with Ali, please call Stacks Goudkamp on (02) 8294 7711, or alternatively make an online enquiry.
