Louis Victor Daniels

Louis (Lou) Daniels was a prominent leader/member of the Church of England Boys’ Society in Tasmania and also a prominent member of the organisation at the national level. He served with the organisation from the 1960s to the 1980s. In 1975, Lou Daniels became a priest and held increasingly senior positions within the Anglican Church in Tasmania, including as Archdeacon of Burnie until the early 1990s; senior positions on diocesan committees and the General Synod Standing Committee; and chair of the General Synod Youth Commission.

The Royal Commission has reported that Lou Daniels and the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania in 1994 settled a claim out of court in relation to the sexual abuse of a minor. Afterwards, Lou Daniels continued in his position of Archdeacon of Burnie until he resigned unexpectedly in November 1994 from all positions he held. The Anglican Church at the time did not give any explanations for his resignation but the Royal Commission reports that it was in relation to new allegations made against Lou Daniels and the investigation into those allegations by Tasmania Police. He subsequently moved to the ACT where he worked as a teacher at numerous schools between 1995 to 1997.

In 1999, Lou Daniels pleaded guilty in the Tasmanian Supreme Court in Hobart to four counts of indecent assault pursuant to s 127 of the Criminal Code Act 1927 (Tas), and two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse pursuant to s 124 of the Criminal Code Act, with a 15 year old youth in 1992. The crimes were committed on two occasions in February and April 1992. Lou Daniels, then aged 45, was Archdeacon of the Anglican Church and the incumbent of the Anglican Parish of Bumie.

On 13 December 2002, Lou Daniels was deposed of his Holy Orders after more allegations of child sexual abuse were made against him. He pleased guilty to 13 charges of sex-related offences with 10 boys between the ages of 11 to 17. The abuse took place in Tasmania between January 1974 till December 1993. He was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison with a non-parole period of five and a half years.

Moody Law has in the past represented and is still representing clients who have made allegations of sexual and physical abuse against various members of the Church of England Boys Society (CEBS).

We invite former victims, students, teachers, or parents to tell us confidentially what information they may have, and we will explain what options are available to help with these cases.

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