An Israeli former school principal has been sentenced to up to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting two students at an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school in Australia, BBC reports.
Malka Leifer, aged 56, was found guilty in April of raping and indecently assaulting Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper, sisters who were students at the school between 2003 and 2007. However, she was acquitted of abusing a third sister, Nicole Meyer.
Leifer's conviction concludes a 15-year effort to bring her to justice. She had initially pleaded not guilty to over two dozen charges and had fought extradition from Israel for years. In 2021, an Israeli judge determined that she had feigned mental illness to evade trial and ordered her extradition to Melbourne.
Throughout the trial, evidence emerged that Leifer had sexually abused the sisters in locked classrooms, on school trips, and at her own home. The sentencing judge, Mark Gamble, described her actions as "insidious" and noted her prominent position within the Adass Israel School, where she was highly respected, akin to a rabbi.
The sisters, emotionally and physically abused at home and lacking proper education about sex, were particularly vulnerable. Judge Gamble emphasized that they were "completely innocent" of Leifer's predatory behavior.
Considering the time she has already spent in prison, Leifer could be eligible for parole in June 2029. Speaking outside the court alongside her sisters, Dassi Erlich expressed that the sentencing marked the end of a long and traumatic chapter in their lives.
With Leifer's trial concluded, law enforcement has reopened an investigation into her attempts to evade accountability. Leifer fled to Israel in 2008 after accusations emerged, reportedly with the help of members of the school board. While an initial attempt at extradition was suspended due to claims of mental unfitness, further investigation revealed her falsification of mental illness, leading to her re-arrest in 2018.
Follow Daryo's official Instagram and Twitter pages to keep up to date on world news.
Comments (0)