Leifer sat together with her head tilted, watching the jury, and didn’t react because the verdicts have been learn. The 2 former college students she was convicted of abusing have been in court docket for the verdicts. Leifer had earlier pleaded not responsible to all 27 counts.
Prosecutors claimed Leifer had abused the scholars between 2003 and 2007 on the Adass Israel Faculty, an ultra-Orthodox faculty in Melbourne the place she was head of faith and later principal, in addition to at her Melbourne dwelling and at rural faculty camps.
After allegations have been first raised towards Leifer in 2008, she fled to Israel. When she was charged in 2014 it triggered a yearslong tussle over whether or not she could be extradited. She was introduced again to Australia in 2021 following a prolonged extradition course of.
Prosecutor Justin Lewis advised jurors that Leifer tended to have a sexual curiosity in ladies once they have been teenage college students on the faculty and when those self same ladies have been scholar lecturers. Lewis stated Leifer engaged in sexual actions with them and took benefit of their vulnerability, ignorance in sexual maters, and her personal place of authority.
Protection lawyer Ian Hill argued the prolonged delay between the alleged offenses and the trial, which began in February, was a drawback to the protection and to jurors. He attacked the credibility of the sisters, together with accusing one among telling “blatant lies” in her proof.
The sisters had an remoted upbringing within the ultra-Orthodox Jewish group and obtained no sexual schooling, the court docket heard. They have been round 12, 14 and 16 when Leifer arrived on the faculty from Israel in 2001.
Lewis stated the sisters had offered express proof that they didn’t perceive the sexual nature of what Leifer did to them.
Leifer allegedly abused the eldest sister whereas they shared a mattress at a faculty camp as the center sibling pretended to be asleep in the identical room. Jurors have been advised the youngest sibling had walked right into a room whereas Leifer was abusing the oldest sister.
“Mrs. Leifer was one of the revered individuals in the neighborhood. If Mrs. Leifer was doing one thing then it should be OK,” the youngest sibling testified about her response to what she noticed occurring to her sister.
The center sister advised the jury she had tried to type a relationship with one other trainer to ask about what Leifer was doing, however Leifer discouraged her. Leifer “advised me it wasn’t wholesome for me to have a reference to one other trainer, to have a couple of mentor,” the center sister testified.
The sisters gave proof over two weeks behind closed doorways, with the general public and media excluded in line with guidelines governing sexual assault trials in Victoria.
Different witnesses included these the sisters disclosed their allegations to.
The center sister first spoke to social employee Chana Rabinowitz in early 2008 in Israel. Rabinowitz stated she requested the sister who harm her and the younger girl replied, “It was Mrs. Leifer.”
Psychologist Vicki Gordon testified that she heard the youngest sister declare abuse by Leifer. Gordon advised the court docket the sister claimed Leifer had defined the abuse was an try to beat a scarcity of heat and affection within the ladies’ household life.
Hill advised the jury the sisters had revered Leifer and writings from their faculty years confirmed them thanking her for being supportive. Hill stated the center sister’s story had modified a number of instances for the reason that allegations have been made in 2008.
“Fact and reliability have been misplaced in false accounts,” Hill stated. “Maybe even at instances hardened into false imaginations and false reminiscences of false realities.”
He criticized the youngest sister for altering the placement of alleged incidents from the women’ hometown of Melbourne to Israel.
“It’s the incorrect reminiscence mixed with the element that exhibits you simply how harmful some witnesses might be when recounting a story to you,” Hill stated.
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