Malka Leifer allegedly sexually abused and raped a string of young teen girls when she was the principal at the Adass haredi girls school in Melboune, Australia. One of those girls sued and has, a Melbourne source told FailedMessiah.com, just been awarded more than $1 million in damages by the court.
Above: Malka Leifer
Victim Of Malka Leifer Wins More Than $1 Million In Abuse Suit
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Malka Leifer allegedly sexually abused and raped a string of young teen girls when she the principal at the Adass haredi girls school in Melboune, Australia.
One of those girls sued and has, a Melbourne source told FailedMessiah.com, just been awarded more than $1 million in damages by the court.
Adass allegedly helped Leifer flee to Israel before she could be arrested and indicted and failed to properly report the abuse.
Now about seven years later, Leifer is on house arrest in the haredi West Bank settlement of Immanuel, fighting extradition to Australia. Israeli courts have been slow to handle Leifer's case, perhaps because her family is close to very power figures in the haredi community including the Gur (Gerrer) Rebbe, who has a long track record of protecting accused haredi pedophiles like Rabbi Avrohom Mondrowitz.
Update 8:40 pm CDT – The Advertiser adds detail:
…Supreme Court judge Justice Jack Rush today described Ms Leifer’s breach of trust as “monstrous” and ordered she personally pay $150,000 in damages to the former student.
“The evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that the conduct of Leifer was committed in circumstances of contumelious disregard of the plaintiff,” he said.
“I have described Leifer’s conduct previously as a massive breach of trust, yet this description does not adequately set out the destructive and evil nature of her sexual abuse of the plaintiff.
“The evidence discloses the sole motivation of Leifer in her dealings with the plaintiff was her own sexual gratification.
“Leifer used her position of power and authority within the school to manipulate the plaintiff’s sense of vulnerability.”
Justice Rush also slammed the school’s board for its co-operation in helping Ms Leifer flee Australia and avoid facing justice.
Just hours after learning of allegations of misconduct, the school’s committee of management held crisis talks and arranged for Ms Leifer to board the next flight out of Australia.
“The conduct of the board is deserving of this court’s disapprobation and denunciation. I have no doubt that the conduct was deliberate,” he said.
“The speed in standing her down was matched by the speed of the arranged departure.”
Justice Rush said the decision to arrange urgent flights was “likely motivated by a desire to conceal her wrongdoing and confine and isolate the conduct and its consequences to within the Adass community”.
“The conduct amounts to disgraceful, contumelious behaviour demonstrating a complete disregard of Leifer’s victims of which the plaintiff was one.
“The conduct demonstrates a disdain for due process of criminal investigation in this state.”
Justice Rush awarded the former student $851,780 for economic loss and $172,648 in medical expenses.
He also ordered the school pay $100,000 as punishment for helping Ms Leifer flee.…