Son of Norwegian Crown Princess Released from Custody to House Arrest
Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has been released from custody and transferred to house arrest with electronic monitoring whilst he awaits the appeal hearing in his rape case.
Son of Norwegian Crown Princess Released from Custody to House Arrest
Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has been released from custody and transferred to house arrest. This was determined by a court in Oslo on Monday, according to news agency DPA.
The 29-year-old man was sentenced to four years in prison in mid-June for rape in a non-final ruling. He was found guilty of two of four rape charges, as well as for committing domestic violence. Høiby denies the rape allegations, and his defence lawyer has appealed the verdict.
However, the court's decision concerns only the custody arrangement, not the sentence itself. Since Høiby has appealed the non-final ruling, the sentence has not yet come into force. He has been in custody since the trial began in February.
Høiby's lawyer, Petar Sekulic, said on Monday that his client was satisfied with the decision. "It is an option he can live with for the next few weeks, and then we'll see what happens next," the lawyer said. Under house arrest, Høiby must wear an electronic ankle monitor that tracks his movements.
The Public Prosecution Authority, for its part, has lodged an appeal against the court's decision, which temporarily prevents Høiby from leaving prison until the appeal is heard.
Høiby has previously repeatedly sought release from custody, amongst other reasons due to his mother's serious health condition. Crown Princess Mette-Marit underwent a successful lung transplant in June.
The case began in 2024 when police designated Høiby as a suspect in a physical assault on a woman he was in a relationship with. In a press statement, he admitted to injuring the woman whilst under the influence of cocaine and alcohol, and to damaging her flat. He added that he regretted his actions.
Høiby was born from his mother's previous relationship before her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, and holds no official position in the royal family. The case has nonetheless cast a shadow over the otherwise popular family.
Source: Aktuálně.cz