Ultra-Orthodox Jewish faculty principal Malka Leifer used her place of energy to sexually exploit her teenage college students, benefiting from their vulnerability, a jury has been informed.
Leifer, 56, is going through 27 costs over the alleged abuse of Melbourne sisters Nicole Meyer, Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper when she was head of faith and principal of the Adass Israel School within the metropolis’s jap suburbs between 2003 and 2007.
Leifer, a mom of eight, has pleaded not responsible and is standing trial within the Victorian County Court.
Prosecutor Justin Lewis started his closing deal with to jurors on Wednesday afternoon after 4 weeks of proof.
He broke down the fees, which embody 11 of rape, 10 of indecent assault, in addition to allegations of sexual penetration of a 16- or 17-year-old beneath Leifer’s care, supervision or authority.
Lewis stated one incident allegedly occurred when Leifer stored Erlich again from a faculty tour to speak to her earlier than abusing her throughout the afternoon.
When tour buses returned at 4pm, Lewis stated a good friend commented to Erlich that she was jealous she bought to spend extra time with Leifer.
It’s alleged Leifer additionally abused Erlich and Meyer once they shared a room on a faculty camp, and that she raped Meyer within the lead as much as her wedding ceremony, telling her that it will assist her on her wedding ceremony night time.
Lewis stated Meyer described Leifer as “very frenzied” throughout one alleged incident of abuse.
It’s alleged Leifer abused Sapper each as a scholar and when she returned to the varsity as a scholar trainer, when Leifer was able of authority over her.
Lewis stated Leifer remained able of energy to use Sapper and took benefit of that relationship.
Prosecutors have additionally alleged Leifer had a bent to have a sexual curiosity in women once they have been teenage college students on the faculty and when those self same women have been scholar academics.
Lewis alleged the tendency was to have interaction in sexual actions with them and to reap the benefits of their vulnerability, ignorance in sexual issues and her place of authority so as to take action.
He highlighted the ladies’s remoted upbringing within the ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhood.
They acquired no intercourse training and dialogue of such issues was taboo, Lewis stated.
“Each of the complainants gave explicit evidence that they did not understand the sexual nature of what the accused did to them,” he stated, including that this allowed Leifer to offend towards them on a number of events.
At all occasions, Leifer was able of energy over the sisters, jurors heard.
Lewis stated Sapper described being conditioned from a younger age to respect authority and by no means query it.
She additionally stated Leifer was well-received by the neighborhood when she arrived.
“People were happy that she was here,” Sapper stated.
Another sister stated Leifer by no means stopped being a revered particular person whereas she was on the faculty.
Lewis stated these feedback confirmed the ladies have been ready to do their finest to offer an correct image in an even-handed means and to not try to put Leifer in a foul mild at each flip.
“It should give you some confidence in the truthfulness of their evidence,” he stated.
Lewis’ closing deal with is predicted to proceed on Thursday, adopted by remarks from Leifer’s barrister, Ian Hill KC.
Source: www.9news.com.au
