Top Israeli court nixes house arrest for Australian sex-crime suspect


FILE PHOTO: Malka Leifer, a former Australian school principal who is wanted in Australia on suspicion of sexually abusing students, walks in the corridor of the Jerusalem District Court accompanied by Israeli Prison Service guards, in Jerusalem February 14, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's Supreme Court overturned on Thursday a lower court order that a former Australian school principal suspected of sexual assault, and who Australia is seeking to extradite, be released from prison to house arrest.

Malka Leifer poses a flight risk and should remain behind bars until extradition proceedings conclude, Justice Anat Baron ruled, finding in favour of prosecutors' appeal against the Jerusalem District Court's Oct. 2 order.

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