Principal of Australian Jewish school who fled CSA charges denied bail; Accused of CSA in Israel
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Alleged sex offender Malka Leifer lost an appeal for release to house arrest during extradition proceedings, the same day that an Australian newspaper quoted an Israeli man as saying she molested his daughter.
The Jerusalem District Court on Sunday denied bail to Leifer, 54, the former principal of a Jewish girls’ school in Melbourne who fled to Israel in 2008 amid allegations that she sexually abused students there. She is wanted on 74 charges of child sexual abuse in Melbourne.
The former principal of the Adass Yisroel girls’ school, where the alleged crimes took place, had remained out of jail on bail and avoided court proceedings to seek her extradition to Australia by claiming mental incapacity, and missed several court appearances by saying she was feeling unwell. She was arrested in February after an undercover investigation found that she lived a normal life and was mentally fit to face extradition proceedings.
Leifer’s attorneys will appeal Sunday’s decision.
Of course they will. Anything to stall and drag this out for several more years. Come on, Israel, get the woman on a plane to Melbourne. There are many children there waiting for some sort of justice and you are denying them that.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported Sunday that a resident of Emmanuel, the haredi Orthodox West Bank town where Leifer lives with her husband and 10 children, has alleged that she sexually molested his daughter while tutoring her in religious studies.
The man, identified as Daniel, told the newspaper he saw her touching another girl as well and alleged that she lures children into her apartment by offering them food, or to tutor them for free.
Shortly after arriving in the settlement, the former principal offered to tutor Daniel’s daughter Sarah in religious studies, he said. The report did not say how old the girl was at the time.
Sarah later told her father that Leifer had pulled at her clothes, pulling down her skirt and “started to touch” her. “Her childhood was over from that moment,” he said.
Concerned over what his daughter had told him, Daniel said he hired a private investigator to watch the woman as she visited other children in their homes and lured “troubled, disadvantaged kids” into her own home by offering them food and free tutoring.
Widespread deprivation in the community made the offer of something to eat effective bait, Daniel noted. “There is a lot of poverty, with families struggling to buy food,” he said.
On one occasion Daniel claims he saw Leifer “grab this young-looking blonde girl, pushing her, grabbing her boobs and ass. She was all over her, crazy-like.”
Daniel claimed that he spoke to Leifer’s husband about the alleged assaults. “I asked him about his ‘handsy’ wife,” he said of her husband. “He said, ‘She likes to touch but that’s all she does, because she’s a loving person… but we did try not to leave her alone with kids.’”
Despite his complaints, Leifer would continue to send her son to their home with instructions to bring Daniel’s daughter for more sessions, the father said. His daughter has since moved to a boarding school in the nearby town of Petah Tikva, he said.
Daniel began researching the former principal, who had been living in Israel with no restrictions on her freedom, and discovered her past and the accusations in Australia. He blasted Emmanuel community leaders for allowing the woman to live freely among residents, accusing them of not doing enough to protect children from.
“She carried on molesting children here after she was freed!” he told the newspaper. “They let her return here, to my home. To my town!”
A general view of the Emanuel settlement in the West Bank. 12, April, 2010. (Kobi Gideon/Flash90)
The report (from the Sydney Morning Herald) described a tightly closed community living under the rule of ultra-Orthodox leaders who prefer to suppress reports of child abuse rather than involve authorities and deal with the unwanted attention.
“The issue became well known here in Emmanuel,” one resident was quoted as saying, “but it was comfortable for [her] to manage her life here because it’s a small town where nobody looks for trouble.”
Local residents said that community leaders were well aware of Leifer’s past but had failed to deal with the matter.
“They definitely knew she did what she’s been accused of, that’s why they told her not to teach young girls, and at the beginning, she obeyed those demands, things started to blow up after she volunteered to teach [Daniel’s daughter],” one source was quoted as saying.
The woman’s defense lawyer Yehuda Fried declined to comment on the accusations, saying that unless charges were filed he had no response to give, according to the report.
Daniel claimed that Leifer’s story is just a part of a much broader problem in the community that is being hushed up by leaders.
“It’s Sodom and Gomorrah in Emmanuel,” he said. “Child abuse, pedophilia… it’s rampant.”
The father vowed to campaign until the community addressed the issue.
“The Catholics went through the exposé of such crimes,” he said. “Now it’s our turn to address the big problem.”
This is a disturbing development in this case, though it shouldn't have been unexpected. One of the troubling aspects of it is that Liefer may have to stand trial in Israel and serve any possible sentence before she can be put on a plane to Melbourne. Her victims in Melbourne may have to wait a long time for any semblance of justice.
Sharp rise in sexual abuse of children in Bangladesh
Tribune Desk
Incidents of violence towards children have seen a sharp rise in the first six months of this year and 2018 is likely to be more horrible for children compared to 2017.
Chittagong Harbour, Bangladesh
Between January and June, a total of 2,033 children were reportedly subjected to different forms of violence, according to a Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF) report released on Sunday.
It said abuse, suicide, kidnapping, rape and murder of children were significantly higher in number this year compared to the same period last year.
The number of children killed in road accidents and drowning is also higher this year.
According to BSAF, 477 children were victims of sexual abuse. Among them, 351 were raped in the past six months, which is about 15% more than last year.
Also, 43 children were victims of rape attempts, 77 of sexual harassment and seven were sexually assaulted, the report said.
However, the number of victims of child pornography has decreased, it added.
According to the report, a total of 1,036 children had unnatural deaths, and 216 of them were killed in the six months – a 25% increase – while some 170 children committed suicide – a 45% increase.
It also highlighted the rising number of children dying in accidents – mainly road, drowning and lightening – across the country.
The report said 358 children were killed in road accidents, which is nearly double than last year. A total of 357 children had died in road crashes in the 12 months of 2017, and 183 of them were killed in the first six months.
Meanwhile, 233 children drowned in the last six months. The number was 142 in the same period last year.
But child deaths from lightening strikes have increased over 50%, the report said. Sixty-three children died from lightning strikes so far this year, whereas the number was 26 between January and June last year, and 94 more died during cold waves this year.
Child sex abuse charges denied by Welsh pensioner
Iwan Gabe Davies
A PENSIONER has denied child sex abuse charges alleged to have been committed against a young girl during the past decade.
David Myers, 71, of Darwin Drive, Newport, appeared before the city’s crown court to plead not guilty.
The defendant, who was represented by Stephen Thomas, denied two counts of sexual assault and one charge of sexual activity with a child aged 11.
The allegations against Myers relate to one complainant.
Prosecutor James Wilson asked for the case to be stood out for trial which is due to start on November 5.
Myers was granted conditional bail by Judge Daniel Williams.
Child sex abuse trial in Edinburgh collapses after solicitor seen ‘smirking’ as witness gave evidence
By Oliver Norton and Kevin Duguid
A SOLICITOR caused a child sex abuse case to collapse after smirking as a witness gave evidence, it’s claimed.
The junior defence lawyer was accused of pulling faces during proceedings.
Sheriff Fife discharged the jury and deserted the case
ANDY BARR - THE SUN GLASGOW
It’s believed three members of the jury, who were able to see the alleged gestures, later complained to court staff.
The reports led to Sheriff Robert Fife deserting the case in a move thought to have cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds.
A source said: “What I saw that day beggars belief. As the witness gave evidence, which was traumatic in the extreme, the lawyer appeared to be making unusual faces.
“It seemed that the lawyer was smirking and smiling at some of the witness’s allegations."
“It was incredibly off-putting for the jury and, if intentional, I believe the behaviour was totally unprofessional.”
Sheriff Fife is understood to have carpeted the solicitor in private but it’s not thought any further action will be taken against her.
He then discharged the jury and deserted the case at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last week.
Re-raising it would require a new sheriff and fresh jury to be appointed.
Sheriff Fife is understood to have carpeted the solicitor in private
“These cases are complex, so the likely need for a new trial is also unfair on the taxpayer.”
The Crown Office would not discuss the claims but confirmed a new trial date has been set for later this year.
The under-fire solicitor would only say: “I don’t want to talk about this.”
Astonishing! Was this her first trial? How old is this woman who appears to act like an adolescent?
The senior Advocate leading the defence team declined to comment.
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