Naotunne Vijitha: Melbourne Buddhist leader jailed 13 years for preying on six young girls

Key points

• A former Buddhist leader, Naotunne Vijitha, has been sentenced to 13 years and two months in prison for sexually abusing six young girls. The 71-year-old was found guilty of 17 charges related to the abuse of children under 16, which occurred between 1994 and 2002 at temples in Springvale and Keysborough.
• Judge Pardeep Tiwana described Vijitha's actions as a betrayal of trust, noting that the victims were as young as five or six years old.
• Vijitha, who arrived in Australia in 1994, will be eligible for parole after serving nine years and four months.