Sentence handed down in Høiby case in Norway
Marius Borg Høiby, son of the Norwegian crown princess, has been found guilty of 40 criminal acts including rape. The court delivered its verdict on Monday.
Sentence handed down in Høiby case in Norway
On Monday, the verdict was read out in the extensive criminal case against Marius Borg Høiby. The 29-year-old man is the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and has been the subject of a lengthy trial with 40 counts of charges.
The allegations against Høiby include, among other things, four instances of sexual violence against women who were allegedly asleep when the incidents occurred. The prosecution has demanded a prison sentence of seven years and seven months. The defendant has denied all accusations. Large parts of the case concern his former partner, who claims she was subjected to both strangulation and beatings. There are also said to be video recordings of some of the incidents.
Høiby has a long history of lawbreaking, including previous cases related to drugs and physical violence. During the trial, he requested to be released from custody to be near his ailing mother. The 52-year-old crown princess suffers from a life-threatening lung disease and has recently been placed on a list for organ transplantation. The judges rejected the release out of concern for further crimes. Therefore, Høiby followed the verdict delivery from his cell via screen.
The case has created deep division in the Scandinavian country. Many feel sympathy for the seriously ill crown princess, whilst Høiby's actions provoke strong reactions. The royal family finds itself in its greatest crisis in many years, intensified by revelations that Mette-Marit had contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein even after he served a prison sentence.
Crown Prince Haakon has put official duties on hold to care for his wife. Daughter Ingrid Alexandra has interrupted her studies in Australia to return home to the family. Son Sverre Magnus is planning to begin at a European educational institution in the autumn, but will return if circumstances require it.
Source: ORF.at
Source: ORF