Melbourne:

An ex-headmistress who sexually abused two sisters at an Australian Jewish faculty, earlier than fleeing to Israel then being extradited again, was sentenced on Thursday to fifteen years in jail.

Sentencing decide Mark Gamble Mentioned Malka Leifer abused her place inside Melbourne’s ultra-orthodox neighborhood and her “insidious offending” had scarred the sisters for all times.

Mom-of-eight Leifer fled to Israel when rumours of her crimes began swirling in 2008, combating tooth-and-nail to halt her extradition throughout greater than 70 separate hearings.

The twin Israeli-Australian citizen was hauled again to Australia in 2021 and was earlier this yr discovered responsible on 18 prices of sexual assault towards sisters Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper.

A jury acquitted Leifer of sexually assaulting a 3rd sister, Nicole Meyer.

In a sufferer influence assertion learn out to the courtroom on Thursday, Sapper mentioned the abuse had left her feeling “totally damaged”, “ashamed” and haunted by “vivid flashbacks”.

“She continues in charge herself for permitting Ms Leifer to like her. She feels ashamed for not stopping the abuse on the time,” mentioned Gamble, studying from the assertion.

Carrying a light-weight blue jail jumpsuit, Leifer was emotionless as she watched the sentencing by way of video hyperlink from a most safety jail in Melbourne.

Gamble mentioned Leifer was a “critical sexual offender” who had proven a “callous indifference” to the struggling of her victims.

She might be eligible for parole after 11 years.

The costs spanned from 2004 to 2007 when Leifer was answerable for the Addass Israel College in Melbourne and the 2 sisters have been youngsters.

The college is a part of a reclusive Jewish sect on the outskirts of town.

“It was a life wherein Jewish legal guidelines and customs have been essential and strictly adhered to,” Gamble mentioned.

“The one books that they had entry to at dwelling have been people who have been accepted by their mother and father and written by Jewish authors.”

Gamble mentioned this stifling setting, and Leifer’s excessive standing within the Addass neighborhood, made it extraordinarily tough for the sisters to return ahead.

In accordance with an indictment, Leifer assaulted one of many sisters in 2006 after inviting her dwelling to “sleep over for kallah classes” — a form of pre-wedding etiquette class that features sexual training.

On different events, Leifer informed the scholars she was making ready them to be wives, prosecutors informed the courtroom earlier this yr.

“This can aid you on your marriage ceremony night time,” Leifer mentioned after one sexual assault, in response to Lewis.

“That is what is sweet for you,” she allegedly mentioned throughout one other incident.

‘Skilled and correct’

Leifer fled Australia in 2008 after one of many sisters confided in her therapist in regards to the sexual assaults.

She ultimately settled within the ultra-orthodox Emmanuel settlement within the occupied West Financial institution.

Australian police filed prices towards her in 2012 and requested her extradition from Israel two years later, sparking a prolonged authorized saga.

Leifer claimed that crippling despair had left her catatonic and that she was mentally incapable of standing trial.

The extradition course of was suspended — till a personal investigator secretly filmed Leifer going about her every day chores, apparently unafflicted by the psychological sicknesses she claimed.

Defence lawyer Ian Hill beforehand mentioned Leifer denied “all the felony conduct alleged by every of the complainants” and that her interactions with the scholars have been “skilled and correct”.

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