Christiaan Beullens is a former officer of Daruk Training School for Boys. From around 1970 to 1981, he lived and worked on the grounds of Daruk, committing heinous crimes and assaults against underage boys.
Daruk was a NSW Government-run institution for troubled young teenagers from difficult backgrounds. As an officer, Beullens’ role included dishing out physical punishments and placing the boys into isolation, sometimes for days at a time.
Many ex-inmates of Daruk recall the violence Beullens would inflict upon them, striking them on the back of the head so forcefully that they were knocked to the ground and left dizzy, dazed and with ringing in their ears.
However, Beullens was not only violent; he was also a sadistic paedophile. Kelso Lawyers has represented numerous victims who suffered abuse, including the fondling of their genitals, masturbation, forced oral sex and anal penetration.
Daruk was a terrifying environment, and Beullens would promise to make life easier for his victims if they complied, or else would terrify them into submission.
Were you abused in Daruk Training School? Click here to share your story with us. You may be eligible for compensation.
After abusing his victims, he would silence them by warning them that they would be punished severely for lying if they came forward. One ex-inmate recalled reporting Beullens to the superintendent, who then sent him to isolation (known as ‘the Boob’) as punishment for lying.
Once inside the Boob, he was viciously beaten and sexually assaulted. Beullens would have known he could get away with anything.
In 2022, the law finally caught up with Beullens when he was convicted of abusing 4 boys during his time as a NSW State employee at Daruk. Despite continuing to profess his innocence, a jury found him guilty of 7 charges, including 1 count of buggery and 6 counts of indecent assault. He was sentenced to 13 years in jail, with an 8-year non-parole period.
When sentencing Beullens, Judge James Bennett noted a total lack of remorse and described his conduct as appalling, degrading, egregious and an abuse of his authority.
“The offences were committed against (the teenagers) in the course of his employment as a youth worker, trusted to take care of them,” the judge said.
We at Kelso Lawyers were thrilled to finally see Beullens behind bars. We have represented many of his victims over the years, including one of the victims in the criminal case. However, the reality is there are many more victims out there who are yet to receive justice.
Survivors are continuing to come forward and contact us, each with their own tale of horror inflicted upon them by Beullens and/or other former officers of Daruk Training School.
If you were abused by Christiaan Beullens or any other paedophile offender, we want to hear from you. We will fight for you. Click here to share your story, or call us on (02) 4907 4200.
Feature Image: 9 News
