A school principal who fled Australia after more than 70 sexual assault and rape allegations surfaced has been remanded in custody in Israel.
The woman in her 50s, who cannot be named in Israel or online, worked as a teacher at a Melbourne school until 2008 when 74 allegations of sexual misconduct against students were levelled against her, the Herald Sun reported.
Her defence lawyer, Yehuda Frid, has attacked the extradition process and Australian authorities, saying the Jerusalem District Court ruling would lead to ‘bad feelings’ and trigger a ‘psychiatrist seizure.’
‘In Australia they don’t understand why she is not being extradited. We have a problem with Australia because it’s a friendly country,’ Mr Frid said.
‘They are only interested in kangaroos and koala bears… the prosecution wants to show Australia that they are working.’
A school principal who fled Australia after more than 70 sexual assault and rape allegations surfaced has been remanded in custody in Israel
Her defence lawyer, Yehuda Frid, has attacked the extradition process and Australian authorities
The woman was employed as the principal of the Victorian school when she allegedly sexually assaulted and raped students.
She was detained by Israeli police at her West Bank home on February 12 after avoiding extradition for more than a decade.
Mr Frid argued his client was too unwell to be remanded in custody or face extradition to Australia, but Judge Ram Vinograd said Israel had a duty to fulfil an extradition request with a country they had a treaty with.
The woman was employed as the principal of the Victorian school when she allegedly sexually assaulted and raped students
Police believe she was faking her illness, and prosecution alleged she had deceived the district psychiatrist. Mr Frid labelled this disgraceful and denied the claims.
Judge Vinograd ruled the woman receive further psychiatric assessment in Mental Health Centre Aitanim Illit where she would be detained until next Wednesday when court would resume.
She is now facing further charges in Israel of interfering with evidence, interfering with a court process and obstruction of justice.
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