Stepson of Norway's Crown Prince Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Two Rapes
A court in Oslo has sentenced the 29-year-old stepson of Crown Prince Haakon to four years in prison after he was found guilty of two rapes.
Stepson of Norway's Crown Prince Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Two Rapes
A court in Oslo has sentenced the 29-year-old Marius Borg Høiby, the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, to four years in prison. He was found guilty of two instances of rape.
Høiby, who became part of the royal family when his mother Mette-Marit married Haakon in 2001, pleaded not guilty to the most serious charges, including the rapes. He did, however, admit to some less serious charges, and has the right to appeal the sentence.
The trial, which lasted seven weeks, received considerable attention in Norway. Details were presented about Høiby's drug use, homemade videos of sexual acts, and over 800 electronic messages that were used as evidence. According to the court, one of the rapes was said to have taken place in the basement of the crown prince couple's private residence.
The case has affected the monarchy's reputation in Norway. An opinion poll from Norstat, published during the trial, showed that support for the monarchy fell to a historic low of 60 per cent, down from 70 per cent in January. At the same time, the proportion wanting a different form of government increased from 19 to 27 per cent.
Source: Τα Νέα
Source: Ta Nea