Utilizing fake love and concern, former ultra-Orthodox Jewish principal Malka Leifer groomed and sexually abused three younger college students for her personal gratification, jurors have been advised.
Leifer, 56, is going through 27 fees over the alleged abuse of Melbourne sisters Nicole Meyer, Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper when she was principal of the Adass Israel Faculty within the metropolis’s southeast suburbs between 2003 and 2007.
Leifer, a mom of eight, has pleaded not responsible and is standing trial within the Victorian County Court docket.
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Prosecutor Justin Lewis closed the Crown case on Thursday after a month of proof.
“These three sisters had a depressing house life and so far as the accused was involved, they have been ripe for the selecting,” he mentioned.
“There is not any thriller in any of them talking extremely of her — they have been getting love and a spotlight from one of the revered and revered folks they knew.”
He mentioned even when the younger ladies did not perceive the sexual nature of what was being achieved to them, due to their extremely sheltered upbringing, they understood what they thought was her love and that is why it went on for thus lengthy earlier than a grievance was made.
Leifer had manipulated the younger ladies’s feelings whereas she abused them for her personal sexual gratification, Lewis mentioned.
“You have got greater than sufficient proof to convict the accused on the fees earlier than you … and I ask you to take action,” he mentioned.
He advised jurors to contemplate the context during which the complaints have been made by every of the three ladies.
In every alleged incident Leifer began with lesser acts, was capable of observe the response of the ladies and elevated the seriousness of the acts, he mentioned.
In relation to offending towards Erlich, he mentioned Leifer’s confidence in getting away with what she was doing would improve.
Sapper first outlined allegations of abuse towards Leifer to a counselor in March 2008, when she mentioned Leifer did not hear when she requested her to cease.
“She even requested me if I used to be having fun with it and once I mentioned ‘no I do not prefer it’ she mentioned I’d by no means be capable to give a person pleasure,” she mentioned.
Lefier’s barrister Ian Hill KC has accused Sapper of mendacity in her proof and advised jurors he would problem her credibility when his closing tackle continues in a while Thursday.
He mentioned Sapper gave inconsistent proof concerning the location of alleged abuse, made speeches as a substitute of answering questions, and had taken alternatives to rope Leifer into solutions the place questions had nothing to do together with his shopper.
“Did she get caught out telling blatant lies? The reply is sure,” he mentioned.
The trial is constant.
