"Carried a heavy secret for years": 15 years in prison for grandfather who abused his granddaughters

The Tel Aviv District Court sentenced a 78-year-old grandfather to 15 years in prison after he confessed and was convicted of sexual offenses against three of his granddaughters, aged 6 to 8 at the time of the acts. The judges ruled that he exploited his family status and the trust placed in him. The plea deal included a total compensation of 200,000 shekels to the victims.

The Tel Aviv District Court sentenced a 78-year-old grandfather to 15 years in prison after he confessed and was convicted of sexual offenses against his three minor granddaughters. The acts were committed over a period when the girls were aged 6 to 8. According to the amended indictment, the defendant committed indecent acts, rape, and attempted rape, exploiting his family status and the trust placed in him. He also instructed one of the granddaughters not to tell anyone and offered her gifts and money. The plea deal was reached through a mediation process, and the parties jointly requested the sentence. In addition to imprisonment, the grandfather will pay a total compensation of 200,000 shekels to the three victims. Victim impact reports described "a series of severe, ongoing, and repeated sexual abuses" that shook the family unit. The mother of two of the victims described: "Life ended, the ground opened up." The probation service determined that the girls "carried a heavy secret completely alone for years." The judges adopted the agreement and ruled that the sentence fits the severity of the acts, while considering the defendant's age, lack of criminal record, and his confession that spared the victims the need to testify.