Witch ritual in church incites Father's fury

9 News

A witch who was jailed after dragging a police officer 190m with her car has performed a pagan ritual at a Melbourne wedding being conducted by Father Bob Maguire.

Father Maguire said he felt like the "devil took over me" as Eilish De Avalon began a Pagan Handfasting at a Brighton Catholic Church, the Herald Sunreported.

Ms De Avalon, 40, confirmed that it was the first time that she had done the Handfasting ceremony, which are performed for opposite gender couples, multiple partners and same-sex couples, in a church.

The ritual involves couples, who have their hands tied, taking vows for a year and a day, with some couple choosing to jump over a broomstick at the conclusion of the ceremony.

The ritual, and Ms Avalon's subsequent post on Facebook, left Father Maguire furious.

"History in the making this morning in when I conduct a Pagan Handfasting Ceremony in a Catholic church with the support of Fr Bob," she posted after the ceremony.

"She is using me as an endorsement to blow her own trumpet," Father Maguire told the Herald Sun.

"I've never had an experience like that in my 50 years (with the church)."

Ms De Avalon was jailed for two months in June after she drove off with a Geelong policeman's arm pinned in her window.

The car only came to a stop because the badly injured police officer was able to pull the keys out of the ignition.