Last update - 00:00 20/02/2007
Court sentences ex-psychologist to 8 years for sexual offenses
By Nir Hasson, Haaretz Correspondent
The Tel Aviv District Court on Tuesday sentenced former psychologist Eli Falach to 8 years, after being convicted for the second time of performing sexual offenses in female patients.
Falach was convicted some 10 days ago of indecent acts, sodomy, forcing a situation preventing free choice and of providing psychological treatment without license. He already served 4 years for a prior conviction of similar sexual offenses.
The only charge of which Falach was acquitted, on grounds of reasonable doubt, was performing the sexual offenses through fraud.
In recent years, however, Falach began offering psychological counseling despite having had his license disqualified.
The current conviction relates to K., a married female patient, whose husband saw in Falach "a spiritual father," according to the judges. During the treatment, which lasted some three years, Falach began bestowing physical affection on K., hugging her, touching her body, and ultimately coercing her into engaging in sexual activity with him.
Moreover, the court determined that Falach had asked K. to watch her having sex with her husband and even convinced the husband to sign a document in which he gave his "consent" for his wife to have sex with other men, including Falach.
Judges Bracha Ofir-Tom, Issaiyho Schneller and Miriam Sokolov rejected Falach's allegations that the complainant made up the charges to get back at him for her failed therapy and the large sums of money she had paid him.