SYDNEY (JTA) – A former security guard at a Chabad school in Melbourne was sentenced to eight years in prison for raping one boy and sexually abusing eight others.
David Samuel Cyprys, 45, must serve a minimum of 5 1/2 years in prison, according to the sentence handed down by County Court of Victoria Judge Peter Wischusen.
Cyprys worked as a security guard at Yeshivah College when he perpetrated sex crimes between 1983 and 1991. He was found guilty earlier this year of raping a 15-year-old boy five times between 1990 and 1991. He also pleaded guilty to 12 charges of molesting eight boys aged 7 to 14.
All the victims’ names were suppressed, although the judge accepted an application Friday by abuse victim Manny Waks to lift his order.
“This is a monumental day for the Australian Jewish community and also for myself personally,” Waks, the founder and chief executive of Tzedek, a victims’ advocates group, said outside the court.
“It’s been a long journey, it’s been decades coming. It’s something each and every victim has had to live through for decades and in some cases they’ve tried to take some form of remedial action,” he said. “Today is the day for justice and it’s actually an incredible feeling.”
Waks said the battle would go on.
“While justice has been served in relation to the crimes committed by David Cyprys, there is still some way to go in terms of achieving full justice. We intend to hold the Yeshivah Center leadership to full account as well,” he said.
The college’s principal, Rabbi Yehoshua Smukler, said in a statement: “We recognize that the effects of abuse are profound and we empathize with the victims and their families, and hope this sentencing will facilitate a degree of comfort and closure.”
Friday’s sentencing came just days after Rabbi Abraham Glick, the principal of the college at the time of Cyprys’ crimes, launched a defamation suit against Waks for a series of online articles and Facebook posts.
Glick was questioned by police last week over allegations that he raped a student in the school’s synagogue. He vehemently denies any wrongdoing and made a voluntary statement to police, according to his lawyers. No charges have been filed.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
