Content warning: This article contains disturbing references to sexual violence. Reader discretion is advised.
Malka Leifer, the former Melbourne, ultra-Orthodox school head, who fled to Israel from 2008 until 2021, before being extradited to Australia for judgment for raping students at her school, has allegedly sexually assaulted a "much younger woman" inside Melbourne's maximum security women's prison, news.com.au reported on Monday.
Leifer, 58, was headmistress of Melbourne's Adass Israel and was jailed for 15 years for repeated sexual abuse of students in her care.
She was sent to solitary confinement at the Melbourne prison, according to the report, citing a source that the incident occurred in view of CCTV cameras.
The latest incident allegedly occurred in late July in a prison unit where inmates are segregated for their own protection, the report added.
A source with knowledge of the incident told the Australian outlet that the alleged victim is "a young woman who was only recently moved to (protection) from the compound." The victim is believed to be an inmate of Aboriginal ethnic origin in her 20s, the report noted.
Justice Department confirms all allegations referred to police investigation
The outlet approached both the Victoria Police and the Australian Justice Department for a comment.
No response from the police was cited, but a Justice Department spokesperson stated that while they cannot comment on individual prisoners, "all allegations of sexual assault or violence in Victorian prisons are referred to Victoria Police for investigation.”