Channels

The suspect
Photo: Shaul Golan

Family of judge suspected of child abuse says accusations a lie

Family insists judge was never ordered to undergo counseling; children never refused to visit him

The family of the judge accused of alleged child abuse commented on the allegations for the first time Saturday, saying that the accusations were "a lie."

 

In a statement released by the family's media advisor, they said: "We were shocked to see and hear that someone has pronounced the judge's verdict without having a shred of information on the case and while leaning on warped, harmful and inaccurate information." 

 

Related Stories:

 

They stressed that the judge was never ordered to undergo counseling or treatment for violence, that Social Services never visited his home and that he sought counseling on his own accord.

 

The judge's media advisor claimed in his statement that "His children are presently supporting him and want what is best for him," and that since the children have been under joint custody, "They have never refused to visit their father's home. The opposite is true. The children want and asked to go to their father's home even more than what was stipulated as the visitation hours, and so it was."

 

Last week and nearly three years after the complaint in the matter was filed,  Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein ruled that the police investigate the suspected judge. The decision was made following a long delay and solely as a result of public criticism. 

 

Throughout the years, Israel Police investigators waited for Weinstein's approval to confront the judge with the allegations. The police have collected testimonies from his children and ex-wife but are still awaiting the attorney general's approval to question the suspect, seeing as he is a judge.

 

For three years, the attorney general refrained from consenting to their request, amongst other reasons, since it entailed additional clarifications on the police's part and on the part of the welfare services regarding the current state of the family's fabric of relationship.

 

"Following a consideration of the circumstances at this time, including those relating to this delicate and complicated family situation, the attorney general decided to order the judge's investigation under warning," the Justice Ministry's statement said.

 

The statement also commented on the long delays in its handling of the affair: "We regret the unnecessary delays in the affair's treatment and in the various inquiries the attorney general conducted to complete the picture. These were caused partly by an administrative error.

 

"Nevertheless, the attorney general is of the opinion that in such a delicate family matter it is better to complete the necessary inquiries before reaching a decision."

 

The judge's lawyers, Eli Zohar and Roi Belcher, said in response to the decision to open a criminal investigation that they "regret the attorney general's decision. We have no doubt the investigation will end without any proceedings against the judge."

 

 

  • Receive Ynetnews updates directly to your desktop

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.02.13, 19:53
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment