Sisters tell Australia court that abuse by Jewish school principal broke trust, painful to remember

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Two sisters have told an Australian court that being sexually abused by their Jewish school’s principal broke their ability to trust and is painful to remember. Malka Leifer was convicted of rape and other crimes in April after years of fighting her extradition from Israel. She watched intently Wednesday as the two sisters read victim impact statements at her sentencing hearing. Prosecutors said Leifer abused the sisters between 2003 and 2007 at the ultra-Orthodox girls’ school in Melbourne and other locations. The hearing is expected to continue Thursday and she likely will be sentenced later. Leifer was convicted of six charges of rape, each carrying up to 25 years in prison.