Dad who called wife evil loses custody case A FATHER who told his young daughters to fast and pray for their "evil" mother has been stripped of the right to see his children for at least six months. Delivering orders in a case that she described as "very difficult," Federal Circuit Court judge Alexandra Harland said the man had psychologically abused the children by alienating them from their mother and distorting their Christian views. The man considered smoking and drinking to be "ungodly" and told the court his daughters didn't want to live with their evil mother because her lifestyle was not "based on Godly principles." "Whilst children might disapprove of a parent smoking, it is extreme to call a parent evil because of it," Judge Harland said as she delivered her judgment in Alice Springs. There is overwhelming evidence the father has psychologically abused the girls. She banned the father from seeing the children, who are about 12 and 13, for six months, giving sole parental responsibility to the mother, a Christian who does not attend church. During the court proceedings, the father admitted sending the mother text messages telling her she would not go to heaven because she did not attend church. "Repent from your wicked way," the father said in one text message. This is a warning to you from God through me. A family consultant who met the girls said they displayed a highly polarised view, describing their father as a saint-like character and their mother as "evil like the devil." Judge Harland said the father had encouraged his daughters' religious attitudes to consolidate an alliance against the mother. He asked one of the girls to pray and fast for him so he wouldn't go to jail and had them both pray daily that their mother would change her lifestyle. "It appears that the girls' religious views have become distorted," Judge Harland said. Many Christians do not preach to others and do not go to church regularly or at all. This does not mean according to ordinary Christian doctrine that they are going to hell. She ordered police to recover the children if they attempted to run back to their father in the next six months.