Two charged for whipping Muslim convert in bed

Police allege Mr Martinez, 31, was held face down on his bed and lashed 40 times with an electrical cord by four men as punishment for going to the pub.

It was claimed his attackers - one of whom appeared in court yesterday - worshipped at the Omar Mosque at Auburn, where Mr Martinez has been attending for prayers.

One of the men, Tolga Cifci, 20, appeared in Burwood Local Court yesterday charged over the attack.

As a second man was arrested yesterday morning, Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said religious sharia law had no place in Australia.

The court heard Mr Martinez was whipped for 30 minutes after the men broke into his townhouse at Silverwater, in Sydney's west, at 1am on Sunday.

Cifci was arrested after a computer hard drive belonging to Mr Martinez and electrical cord thought to have been used in the attack was allegedly found during a police raid at the Auburn house where the accused lives with his parents.

He has been charged with aggravated break and enter and committing a serious indictable offence.

The second man, 43, surrendered himself at Auburn Police Station yesterday. He was charged with aggravated break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, detaining a person in company with intent to obtain advantage, and two counts of stealing from a dwelling.

The man has been refused bail and will appear in Burwood Local Court today.

Magistrate Tim Keddy told the court the charges against Mr Cifci were "extremely serious and violent" and "if convicted it is highly likely he will be sentenced to a term of imprisonment".

He ordered Mr Cifci to remain at home unless accompanied by either of his parents and is to report to Auburn Police Station daily.

Mr Cifci was also told to surrender his passport and not to visit any airports or other points of departure from Australia.

Police prosecutor George Lolis told the court Mr Cifci's actions were a "misconstruction and particularised usage of religious law" used to justify his part in the attack on Mr Martinez.

Mr Cifci's solicitor Tunc Ozen told the court the accused was "a person of prior good character" but acknowledged his actions would create controversy due to his alleged links to sharia and the Muslim faith. Mr Cifci will reappear in court on September 14.