Upstairs

Posts in this blog over the past two years have noted the misadventures of self-described "eerily accurate, profound clairvoyant" and witch Eilish De Avalon, a person whose supposed ability to see the future didn't save her from a traffic dispute with the police and whose claim that a Victorian court had no jurisdiction over witches was - quelle horreur - not accepted by that court.

The Northern Star reports that -

A mother and daughter told a court only God had the authority to order them to pull down an illegal extension to their South Golden Beach property, but the magistrate took a different view.

So far God apparently hasn't endorsed the statement by afflicting the magistrate with boils, a plague of toads and scorpions, or other indications of His displeasure.

The item indicates that

In a hearing at Mullumbimby Local Court on Thursday, Byron Shire Council argued the downstairs area of the property was not approved to live in as part of the original development consent and it should be demolished.

The council's governance manager, Ralph James, said despite several requests over the past two years, the property owner had not taken any reasonable steps to get the downstairs development approved or cease use of the area.

"Of concern was the fact that the house was located in an area that is subject to flooding," he said.

It's unclear whether the property owners are unfussed about inundation, welcoming floods as a God working in the same mysterious ways that include affliction with cancer, freckles, a taste for Elvis or ability to make cheap gibes in a blog.

The NS goes on to note that -

The council was originally notified of the illegal extensions by a community member and the matter was listed for December 1, 2011 but the defendants failed to attend.

When the matter was heard, the women submitted a written argument stating they did not have to submit to the jurisdiction of the court, or the council

God was only jurisdiction they recognised, she told the court.

No sign, alas, of whether non-recognition of Australian jurisdictions purportedly obviates the need to pay tax, observe the road rules, refrain from the keeping of slaves or burning witches, and other niceties.

Ms De Avalon's meanwhile out of custody, after two months in prison, and delighting the mass media with headlines such as "Witch ritual in church incites Father's fury". The Herald Sun - where would we be without it - reports that -

A witch who went to jail for dragging a policeman 190m with her car has hijacked a wedding ceremony being performed by the reverend Father Bob Maguire.

Father Maguire said he felt like the "devil took over me" when Eilish De Avalon conducted a Pagan Handfasting Ceremony at a Brighton Catholic church.

Father Maguire said he had warned the woman to tone back her scripts for the January 7 wedding but was "taken for a ride" on the day.

Ms Avalon, who was jailed for two months last June after pleading guilty to recklessly causing serious injury, dangerous driving, driving while suspended and using a mobile phone while driving, yesterday confirmed to the Herald Sun it was the first time she had performed the ceremony in a church, but declined to speak further.

Handfasting ceremonies are performed for same-sex couples, opposite gender couples and for multiple partners.

The bride and groom's hands are tied during the ceremony and vows are usually taken for a year and a day.

At the end of some services, the couple jump over a broomstick. ...

Fr Maguire said: "She is using me as an endorsement to blow her own trumpet. She took an opportunistic advantage of the parish.

"I was taken for a ride and blindsided. Once in the saddle she took over the place. It was like the devil got a hold of me.