Accused denies rape in black magic case

A MAN accused of black magic rape offences says an alleged victim was a more than willing partner who had demanded sex from him.

Arthur Psichogios told the NSW District Court jury that the woman had been naked when he went to a hotel room, and had ”latched” onto him, saying ”let’s make love”.

”I tried to push her away, she was naked, it was kind of difficult,” he said, adding that he told her he was sorry but he was married and her boyfriend was his friend.

Mr Psichogios said she threatened to scream ”rape” from the balcony if he didn’t do as she asked.

The 40-year-old trained jeweller was giving evidence on Wednesday at the Sydney trial of him, his wife Francis Psichogios, 39, and Tony Golossian, 62.

They have pleaded not guilty to a string of charges, mainly sex offences against two women.

The women have testified that they were told black magic curses had been placed on them and their families.

To rid themselves of the curses, they were told to attend prayer sessions when they were blindfolded and sex took place.

Today, Judge Penelope Hock told the jury to return on Monday as medical evidence indicated Arthur Psichogios was not in a fit condition to continue his evidence that day.

On Wednesday, Mr Psichogios testified that his mother took him to see Mr Golossian about 20 years ago after Mr Psichogios was experiencing a ”lot of bad luck”.

”From the first day I met him he told us he had a special gift … he had the gift of clairvoyancy,” he said.

”He told us that he would receive information from the angel which would allow him to help people”.

After Mr Golossian conducted a prayer session on him, Mr Psichogios said they became good friends.

He met the first complainant, through her boyfriend, and she asked for a prayer session with Mr Golossian, saying ”she was in a mental hospital and she had an operation on her head”.

He said Mr Golossian only conducted two sessions on the woman, when he placed oil on her and prayed.

Mr Psichogios said the woman started contacting him and he made excuses after he thought she wanted the friendship to move to ”a sexual level”.

After she threatened to scream rape at the hotel, he said she started to undress him, gave him oral sex and they had sexual intercourse.

He denied that Mr Golossian had told him he had instructed the woman to have sex with Mr Psichogios.

At her instigation, he said they then had regular sexual encounters.

Mr Psichogios said at no time did the woman ever do anything to make him think she was not acting of her own free will.

She never appeared to be affected by fear or terror, or give the impression of having been coerced or tricked into having sex, he said.

In fact it was the exact opposite, as ”she continually asked me to leave my wife and give her a baby boy”, he said.

The trial is continuing.