Priest grabbed me by the neck

Priest ‘grabbed me by the neck’

A Greek Orthodox priest allegedly grabbed a parishioner around the neck after a disagreement at a church committee meeting, a Sydney court has been told.

Father John Grillis, 53, faced two charges of assault relating to the alleged incident at a Greek Orthodox church in Burwood on February 1, 2006.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault and one of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to an incident at a committee meeting at a Burwood church on February 1, 2006.

But no conviction will be recorded against him.

In a last minute deal, prosecutors withdrew the second, more serious charge.

Magistrate William Pierce found the common assault charge had been proven, but took Grillis’ good character and the minor nature of the offence into account in deciding not to record a conviction.

“I think it is appropriate,” Mr Pierce told the hearing.

Giving evidence earlier, John Mihalopoulos demonstrated what allegedly happened at the meeting, using a volunteer from the court to show how he was placed in a headlock.

Mr Mihalopoulos said he and Grillis had disagreed on something when Grillis got up from the table where committee members were sitting and grabbed an empty glass.

“He grabbed me by the neck, he squeezed me strongly and put the glass on my neck,” he said.

Mr Mihalopoulos said the incident had left him unable to sleep in the weeks following and led him to seek help from a doctor.

“I remember this scene all the time,” he said.

“It hasn’t left my mind.”