Malka Leifer trial live updates: Former Elsternwick school principal sentenced to 15 years in jail over student abuse

Malka Leifer, former principal of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for sexually abusing two former students.

County Court Judge Mark Gamble imposed a non-parole period of 11½ years, but with time served, Leifer will be eligible for parole in less than six years.

“This case is striking for just how vulnerable these victims were, and for the calculating way in which the offender, Mrs Leifer, took callous advantage of those vulnerabilities in order to sexually abuse them for her own sexual gratification,” Gamble said.

Leifer was found guilty of 18 offences against sisters Elly Sapper and Dassi Erlich between 2003 and 2007.

We will leave our live coverage of the sentencing of former ultra-Orthodox principal Malka Leifer there.

To recap, Leifer was sentenced to 15 years behind bars for the sexual abuse and rape of sisters Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper, who were pupils at the Adass Israel School in Elsternwick.

County Court Judge Mark Gamble addressed the sisters in court today, saying:

They were completely innocent victims of the predatory behaviour of Mrs Leifer, and it is she and she alone who should feel guilty.”

Judge Gamble imposed a non-parole period of 11½ years, but Leifer will be eligible for parole in less than six years due to time served in pre-sentence detention.

If this coverage has raised any issues for you, and you require support, call the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

While we wait for Dassi Erlich and Elly Sapper to speak outside court, victim advocacy group Voice Against Child Sexual Abuse released a statement about the case.

Founder and outgoing chief executive Manny Waks said it was an “incredible day for justice”.

“The sentencing of Malka Leifer is the pinnacle of a drawn-out, David v Goliath battle and marks a significant step towards justice for the courageous survivors ... who have endured immense pain and suffering due to Leifer’s criminal and heinous actions.”

He said their bravery to share their story publicly led to the moment, and the sisters deserved the “utmost respect and support”.

“I hope that today’s sentencing will assist in their healing process,” Waks said.

He said the sentence offered a sense of closure, there was ongoing work ahead and that it was important to foster an environment where victims could feel safe enough to come forward.

Malka Leifer, former principal of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish school, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail for sexually abusing two former students.

County Court Judge Mark Gamble imposed a non-parole period of 11½ years, but with time served, Leifer will be eligible for parole in less than six years.

“This case is striking for just how vulnerable these victims were, and for the calculating way in which the offender, Mrs Leifer, took callous advantage of those vulnerabilities in order to sexually abuse them for her own sexual gratification,” Gamble said.

Leifer was found guilty of 18 offences against sisters Elly Sapper and Dassi Erlich between 2003 and 2007.

The survivors of Malka Leifer suffered lasting harm because of the sexual abuse, and the former principal has continued to maintain her innocence.

“Leifer continues to strenuously maintain [her] innocence of the offences for which a jury has convicted her with respect to that offending,” Judge Mark Gamble told the County Court.

“She has no insight and no remorse, to date she has not sought or received any professional treatment or counselling in relation to her offending.”

He said Leifer’s offending was considered as very serious, predatory and involved the “exploitation and manipulation of two very vulnerable victims”.

The crimes took place over an extended period of time, for four years, and there was a significant power and maturity imbalance.

“It was undertaken for no better reason than her own sexual gratification, and unsurprisingly, it has had a devastating impact on each victim.”

He said there was nothing mitigatory in how Leifer committed the offences, and her moral culpability was high.

We’re nearing the end of the sentencing hearing now, and County Court Judge Mark Gamble has noted the media coverage of the case.

He told the court there was international reporting and the response negatively impacted Malka Leifer.

“This case has been in the spotlight over a lengthy period and has received intense media interest and widespread reporting in Australia and overseas,” he said.

He said at times “the coverage has been particularly intense”, and Leifer’s conduct has been closely scrutinised and criticised in the public domain.

Gamble said media reporting is to be expected, but noted the level to which it had risen constitutes a “form of extracurial punishment” which should be considered.