I heard about this today 20 Jan 2008 on Greek TV:
Man faces 33 rape charges
The man accused of drugging and then raping at least 16 women is led from the St Kilda police station after his arrest yesterday.
Photo: Jason South
A GLEN Iris man has been remanded in custody on 33 counts of rape and 55 counts of indecent assault after allegedly drugging his victims and filming the attacks, in what could be one of Victoria's worst serial sex crimes.
John Nicholous Xydias, a 43-year-old chef living in Glen Iris with his parents, will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates court on Monday after police alleged he had drugged, raped and filmed 16 women between 1998 and 2004.
The charges relate to attacks on two women. Another woman has also been identified.
As Xydias appeared before a bail justice in an out-of-court hearing at the St Kilda Road police complex, it emerged he has an apparent fascination with former Seven Network celebrity, Naomi Robson, covering his bedroom with pictures of her face superimposed on to pictures of lingerie-clad women.
Wearing a grey top buttoned at the front, pale blue jeans and white sneakers with his hair pulled back in a ponytail, Xydias sat quietly with his arms clasped in front of him as police detailed the charges.
Opposing bail, Detective Senior Constable Rodney Neylan told the bail justice Xydias posed an unacceptable risk in that he knew some of the victims and might attempt to contact them.
But Xydias denied he wanted to contact them, claiming they were "in a bad scene and I have changed all that".
"These people, I used to see them, I used to have relationships with them previously. It's just funny how this can happen," he said. "I used to see them … and they have charged me with this," he said.
The charges were laid after police seized 90 videotapes showing sex acts involving women who appeared to be unconscious, from his Glen Iris address and a house in Dromana.
Police have not discounted the possibility that he is the same man known as the "hot chocolate rapist" who drugged and attacked more than 20 Melbourne women in the late 1990s.
The footage allegedly shows the man raping up to 16 women while they were unconscious.
The sexual crimes squad was called in and its investigators have tracked down three victims in the videos — none of whom was aware they had been raped until shown the footage.
Detective acting Inspector Simon Clemence said of the alleged attacker: "On the Richter scale of sex offenders, he probably comes in roughly around about second.
Police will allege the man got in contact with several women via phone dating services and met his other victims at various nightclubs and cafes in Prahran, Richmond and Fitzroy.
"We want any person who may have any information about these incidents to come forward. It is imperative that we identify the women who appear in these videos," Mr Clemence said.
Other women who fear they may have been victims, or anyone with information, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/man-faces-33-rape-charges/2007/06/15/1181414549918.html photo
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