Legal representative removed from Jonatan Spang case: Court acknowledges risk of influence
Copenhagen City Court has decided to remove Helle Hald from her role as legal representative for five women who reported comedian Jonatan Spang for sexual assault. The defence counsel feared that the clients could coordinate their testimonies.
Legal representative removed from Jonatan Spang case: Court acknowledges risk of influence
On 4 June, Copenhagen City Court dismissed legal representative Helle Hald from representing the five women who reported comedian and actor Jonatan Spang to police in 2024 for a series of serious offences. The reports included sexual assault, rape, and physical and psychological violence.
The dismissal comes after Spang's defence counsel, Julie Stage, raised concerns that the injured parties could influence or coordinate their witness statements with one another. The court has therefore found that this objection carries sufficient weight to intervene in the composition of the legal representation.
"There is clearly a problem, which the court apparently also must have recognised," Helle Hald told Politiken.
According to law professor Jens Elo Rytter, the case raises a principled question about how the legal system should address the risk that injured parties in the same criminal case influence each other's statements. He points out that there are no clear-cut rules in this area.
Hald has previously been involved in the case concerning TV host Christian Degn, where she similarly represented several injured parties. There too, doubts were raised as to whether the clients had coordinated their testimonies.
Jonatan Spang has denied all allegations. The case is still pending before Copenhagen City Court.
Source: Politiken