Israeli appears in Australian court on child abuse charges

A former school principal extradited from Israel after a six-year legal battle has appeared in an Australian court to hear evidence behind child sex abuse charges against her

MELBOURNE, Australia -- A former school principal extradited from Israel after a six-year legal battle appeared in an Australian court on Monday to hear evidence behind child sex abuse charges against her. A committal hearing began in the Melbourne Magistrates Court to decide whether there is sufficient evidence against Malka Leifer to warrant the charges going to trial. The 54-year-old is facing 74 charges, including rape and indecent assault, from her time as head of Melbourne’s Adass Israel School between 2004 and 2008. Sisters Dassi Erlich, Nicole Meyer and Elly Sapper are among 10 witnesses who are to testify during the hearing, which is expected to run until next Monday.