Barry Duke, the Angry Atheist

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1. 

   As someone who produced dozens of nativity plays as a teacher and a Sunday School leader, that title ‘A Gay…

2. 

   The defence of a Christian view never seems to be settled by debate: exchange of facts, reference to historical events.…

3. 

   But …… Rwanda is a safe place: Parliament says so.https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/8/contentsSafety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024 S 2 Safety…

4. 

   Religion can survive only on the most unquestionable assumptions. The statements made on Sundays on the BBC as if they…

5. 

   Yes, if I’ve got anything remotely like a phobia, as an ex-fundy, its bibles, churches, tracts etc. I like to…

AFTER Malka Leifer was accused around 16 years ago of sexual abuse, she fled to Israel where she claimed she was too mentally unwell to face trial in Australia.

But undercover footage showed that she was living what appeared to be a perfectly normal life in Israel and an Israeli court ordered her extradition to Australia in 2021.

In February 2019, it was revealed that Israel’s deputy Health Minister, Yaakov Litzman, was questioned by police on the suspicion that he had been using his position to prevent Leifer’s extradition.

Justice was finally meted out to Leifer today (Thursday) when the former Melbourne school principal was sentenced to 15 years’ prison for sexually abusing two students in her care.

Leifer was found guilty of 18 sexual offences, dating back two decades to her time in charge of the Adass Israel School in Melbourne.

Three sisters—Nicole Meyer, Elly Sapper and Dassi Erlich—came forward to accuse Leifer of abusing her position of authority to sexually abuse them between 2003 and 2007.

The sisters claimed the 56-year-old isolated and sexually abused them on campus, at school camps and in her home.

In April, a County Court jury found Leifer guilty of abusing Sapper and Erlich but cleared her of charges relating to Meyer.

Judge Mark Gamble set a non-parole period of 11 years and six months at the conclusion of a three-hour sentencing.

He described the offending as extended, insidious and predatory, and targeted at “two very vulnerable victims”.

It was undertaken for no better reason than her own sexual gratification. And, unsurprisingly, it had a devastating impact on each victim. There is really nothing mitigatory about the manner in which Mrs Leifer committed these offences.

With 2,069 days of pre-sentence detention taken into account, Leifer will be eligible for parole in June 2029.

Speaking outside court, the three sisters hailed the sentence as a victory for victim-survivors navigating the justice system.

In late 2007 or early 2008, Erlich made disclosures to a social worker in Israel, and whispers about the abuse allegations filtered through to the Adass Israel School board and to Leifer herself.

Hours after an school urgent board meeting was called, Leifer took a flight out of Australia. Police have since reopened an investigation into the school’s role in helping Leifer flee the country.

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