Son defends dad over 'prayer' assaults

The son of a Sydney man charged with 151 sex offences against a woman who was allegedly drugged and assaulted during fake prayer sessions says he doesn't believe his father has done anything wrong.
But if he has, then he should go to jail.
The son said his father was not a spiritual leader and would not have committed such
crimes.
"When people want help they come to him, they talk to him," the son told the Seven
Network.
"He gives them advice and he might say a little prayer on them."
His 61-year-old father and 38-year-old Arthur Psichogios on Friday were charged with
151 and 79 sex offences, respectively.
Police allege the woman, now aged 30, was blindfolded and subjected to sexual
assaults during prayer sessions at various hotels and motels, mainly in the Ashfield
area in Sydney's inner-west, between 2001 and 2005.
Believing she and her family had been cursed by a member of the Greek community
practising black magic, the woman paid between $500 and $1,000 per session, spending
up to a total of $70,000 out of fear they would all suffer terrible consequences
including death and illness unless the curse was removed.
Police allege she is one of at least two women who fell victim to the two men.
Police allege the older man claimed he could speak to angels and after telling the
women they had been cursed, charged them money to remove the evil, but later
subjected them to repeated assaults.
But his son said he believed his father was innocent.
"My dad's a good man. He's not a spiritual heeler. What you could say, he's like a
counsellor," he said.
"If it's true, if my dad's truly done these (things) - he's committed a crime.
"Let him go to jail."
The 61-year-old man was taken to hospital on Friday morning after suffering chest
pains at Burwood police station and did not appear in court.
It's not known whether a bedside court hearing will be organised at the hospital.
Psichogios was refused bail in court and will return to Burwood Local Court on
October 29.