Victim of pedophile teacher Darrell Ray details shocking historic child sex abuse allegations, slams Education Department

A victim-survivor of a notorious pedophile teacher has slammed the Education Department for failing to protect children, while at least 30 schools in Melbourne’s southeast remain under inquiry for alleged child sex abuse. See the list.

A victim-survivor of child sexual abuse has alleged the Department of Education grossly failed in its duty to protect children from notorious pedophile Darrell Ray.

Fresh testimony from a victim-survivor of child sexual abuse at a state government school has alleged the Department of Education grossly failed in its duty to protect children from a notorious pedophile teacher.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal a former student, who attended Tucker Road Primary School between 1964 to 1970, has come forward detailing shocking sexual abuse by the school’s sports teacher and librarian Darrell Ray.

Ray, who was convicted in 1979 of sexually abusing St Kilda Little League footballers and in 2001 of abusing students at Tucker Road Primary School in Moorabbin and Beaumaris Primary School, died in November last year.

In June 2023, he was charged with 26 counts of indecent assault upon a male following a lengthy investigation by Victoria Police.

Due to Ray’s ill-health, that matter was set to return to court in February this year, but did not proceed.

Notorious pedophile teacher Darrell Ray was charged with 26 counts of indecent assault before his death in 2023. Picture: Supplied

The former Tucker Road Primary School student, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said the shocking alleged abuse by Ray, had caused ongoing trauma and “destroyed” many aspects of his life.

“I don’t want any other child to go through suffocating secrecy that I went through for decades,” the victim said.

“Nor the self-loathing, guilt, confusion of identity, depression and distrust of authority not to mention the lingering alcohol-fuelled anger.”

The victim, who is being represented by Arnold Thomas & Becker as part of a civil claim, also slammed the Department of Education for its failure to protect students.

“Ray injured students and molested them when breaking up a schoolyard brawl. Parents complained, nothing was recorded,” he said.

“Despite this first conviction in 1979, his prior history at Tucker Road and Beaumaris primary schools were not investigated by the Department.

“The redevelopment of Tucker Road Primary School buildings by the Labor government smacks of trying to wipe away the physical evidence of the abuse that occurred there.”

In June, the Allan government announced the government had accepted all nine recommendations from a report into historical child sexual abuse at Beaumaris Primary School and other government schools.

A victim-survivor of child sexual abuse slammed the Department of Education for its failure to protect students.

Lawyer Cameron Doig, who is representing the victim, said this case was just one out of many from Tucker Road Primary School that the law firm was representing in the Supreme Court to pursue damage claims against the State of Victoria.

“All of them were sexually abused by prolific pedophile and former school librarian, football coach and teacher Darrell Ray,” Mr Doig said.

“The Department of Education is aware of more than nine allegations about abuse at this school up to 1970, many of which were by Ray.

“Ray’s offending was brazen and often occurred in front of other children during classes at the library or in connection with football training.

“With the Department’s truth-telling process about child abuse in state schools starting soon, we urge anyone with information about abuse at Tucker Road Primary School to come forward to us.”

The law firm is investigating abuse allegations in over 200 Victorian schools, including at least 30 in Melbourne’s southeast.

A Department of Education spokesman said: “We’re deeply sorry for the harm, abuse and injury inflicted on victim-survivors – this should simply never have happened.”

“It is utterly unacceptable that any child should suffer sexual abuse, especially when they are in the care and supervision of a government school,” he said.

“We reiterate our commitment to do everything we can to ensure that this never happens again and to ensure that victim-survivors get every support they need to rebuild their lives.”

Any person who has experienced any form of sexual abuse as a Victorian government school student, either recently or in the past, can report the abuse via the Department’s Report

Abuse web page.