closeicon
World

Sex charge for youth worker

articlemain

A former Chabad-Lubavitch youth leader has been arrested in Melbourne for alleged child molestation as police alleged more Jewish minors were sexually abused in a separate case.

Aron "Ezzy" Kestecher, 26, has been charged with four counts of indecent acts on a child under 16. The indecent acts allegedly took place over the last five years.

Mr Kestecher was released on bail and will appear in court on November 29.

His arrest comes almost two months after David Cyprys, a former security guard at Yeshivah College, also in Melbourne, was charged with multiple counts of indecent assault and gross indecency after he allegedly molested boys from the school between 1984 and 1991.

Mr Cyprys's case was heard in the Melbourne Magistrates Court a fortnight ago, with police claiming that six more Jews who were allegedly molested have come forward: two from Victoria, one from Brisbane and three who now live in the United States, the Australian Associated Press reported.

Prosecutors also tried to get his bail revoked, with a witness claiming Mr Cyprys was seen with minors over the festival of Succot. He is forbidden from any contact with children under 16 - including his own - under the bail conditions. But Magistrate Luisa Bazzani refused the application.

Mr Cyprys is expected to appear again in court in January.

The principal of Yeshivah College, Rabbi Yehoshua Shmukler, recently wrote to parents ordering them to contact authorities about any suspect child molestation cases after claims surfaced in court that members of the Orthodox school community had tried to cover up the claims.

Share via

Want more from the JC?

To continue reading, we just need a few details...

Want more from
the JC?

To continue reading, we just
need a few details...

Get the best news and views from across the Jewish world Get subscriber-only offers from our partners Subscribe to get access to our e-paper and archive