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Third jail term for former Anglican priest over child sexual abuse
By Jano Gibson, ABC Australia
Daniels was extradited from the ACT last year.(ABC News: Maren Preuss)
In short: A judge describes child sexual abuse crimes by former Anglican priest Louis Daniels as "heinous" as he sentences him to six years in jail.
What's next?: A law firm representing one of the survivors of Daniels' abuse has announced a new civil case against the convicted paedophile.
A Tasmanian man who was abused as a child by convicted paedophile Louis Daniels has urged other sexual assault survivors to come forward after the former Anglican priest was sentenced to six years' jail for "heinous crimes" dating back more than three decades.
Sexual assault support services:
Sexual Assault Support Service (Tasmania): 1800 697 877
1800 Respect national helpline: 1800 737 732
Sexual Assault Counselling Australia: 1800 211 028
Bravehearts (support for child sexual abuse survivors): 1800 272 831
Laurel House Northern Tasmania: (03) 6334 2740
Laurel House North West Tasmania: (03) 6431 9711
Blue Knot Foundation: 1300 657 380
The 75-year-old — who has served two previous prison terms for child sexual offences — pleaded guilty in March to the persistent sexual abuse of two boys between 1978 and 1987.
The Supreme Court of Tasmania heard the offences were committed at a time when Daniels was considered a "highly respected" clergyman and a prominent leader in the Church of England Boys' Society.
In his sentencing remarks, Justice Stephen Estcourt noted that after raping one of his victims, Daniels told the boy it was a secret and because he was a priest "no one would believe him" if he reported it.
The judge said Daniels's years of sexual abuse against the boys had caused lifelong trauma.
"These are heinous crimes committed by a predator by [means] of terrible breaches of trust," he said.
The judge imposed a six-year sentence with a non-parole period of four years, and also ordered he be placed on a sex-offenders register for life.
Daniels expressed no emotion as he sat in the dock during sentencing.
Abuse survivor "S" (middle) talks to Steve Fisher from Beyond Abuse and lawyer Sheree Buchanan outside the Supreme Court after Daniels was jailed. (ABC News: Jano Gibson)
Outside court, one of the survivors of his abuse released a statement, expressing gratitude to the investigators who helped put Daniels behind bars for the third time.
"My advice to anyone who has been abused is to come forward, please come forward as you will be believed," the survivor, who asked to be known as "S", said.
"No sentence, no punishment, no amount of money can ever make up for what I have lost and what I have to live with for the rest of my life.
"But coming forward and being believed is a feeling I cannot describe."
Seeing abuser sentenced 'a big thing'
Beyond Abuse chief executive Steve Fisher, who was at the court to support the abuse survivors, welcomed the length of the prison term, saying judges have previously issued insufficient sentences for other paedophiles in the past.
"We're quite surprised that he got the sentence he did," Mr Fisher said.
"It all goes down to the bravery of the survivors who actually had the guts to give their evidence."
Mr Fisher said for survivors like "S", it was a form of relief to be in the courtroom to witness the delivery of justice.
"It's very important as far as their battle with their psychological symptoms go to actually see the person be led away and knowing that he may not be let out for six years — that's a big thing."
Outside court, law firm Shine Lawyers announced its intention to represent "S" in an upcoming civil case against Daniels.
The company also revealed it had recently settled a separate civil case involving Daniels "for a significant sum", but provided no further details.
"Lou Daniels is a name and a perpetrator who we're all too familiar with, sadly," the law firm's Sheree Buchanan said.
"What we may never know is how much of an impact this man has had on other people's lives."
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