The prosecution’s representative said Carmi’s case is a severe case of sexual assault o his sentencing should be more intense than others in cases like these.
Psychologist Yuval Carmi, 67, has been sentenced to 39 months in prison for sexually assaulting two women when they were his patients, The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court ruled on Tuesday morning.
Kim Ariel Arad, one of the two patients involved in the case and the person responsible for breaking the story to the public was present at the sentencing. The other woman involved in the case has chosen to remain anonymous, and in addition to the two women, there are a number of other alleged victims.
The sentence handed down to Carmi of three years and three months falls between the sentence requested by the prosecution — three years and 10 months — and the sentence requested by Carmi’s attorneys — 10 months.
The prosecution’s representative said Carmi’s case is a severe case of sexual assault between a powerful figure, the medical provider, and a less powerful figure, their patient, so his sentencing should be more intense compared to other similar cases.
Carmi will also pay NIS 100,000 to Arad and NIS 30,000 to the second victim, in compensation.
What is the Yuval Carmi case?
Carmi was convicted twice of sexual assault, once in December 2021 and once in January 2022.
He admitted to his crimes as part of a plea deal with the state in exchange for a change in the language in the indictment: From committing “indecent acts without consent” to “indecent acts between a mental health provider and their patients.”
Arad has maintained throughout the case that she is upset and dissatisfied that he wasn’t indicted with charges of rape.
When Carmi was arrested in January 2021 for sexual transgressions, he was initially charged with rape. This was later removed and his indictment did not include the word, rather the crime was described as “sexual relations.”
“The prosecution was convinced during the hearings that there was no justification for accusing my client of rape.”
Yuval Carmi’s attorneys in 2021
“The prosecution was convinced during the hearings that there was no justification for accusing my client of rape,” Carmi’s attorneys said at the time.
In February 2021, after Carmi was released to house arrest following the first reported rape, police publicized his name, which urged other victims to come forward, building the case.