Marius Borg Hoiby, son of Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, has been sentenced to four years in prison for two counts of rape against different women and domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend, Nora Haukland. Cleared of two other rape charges, he was also convicted of drug use. Hoiby has denied both the rape and assault charges against his ex-girlfriend and has already announced, through his lawyers, his intention to appeal. Meanwhile, his mother, Mette-Marit, who suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, has been deteriorating in her health and is on the list for a transplant.
Despite this, Hoiby's request for house arrest was again rejected that evening. Hoiby, 29, is the heir to the throne's first child from a previous relationship before she married Prince Haakon, son of King Harald V. Although the young man is not officially a member of the Norwegian royal family, the trial has been closely watched by the press due to his privileged relationship with the royal family and the fact that some of the incidents for which he was convicted allegedly took place on royal property. One of the incidents, in fact, allegedly occurred at the royal residence in Skaugum and was based on a video found on Hoiby's seized cell phone. According to the 128-page ruling, the victim appeared to be asleep.
Judge Jon Sverdrup Efjestad also emphasized that the victim was unaware of what had happened until the video was shown to her during the investigation: "This is also confirmed by the victim's own reaction when the recording was shown to her: she stated that she didn't realize what was happening," the magistrate stated. Hoiby was also convicted for the second rape case based on a video: "The footage initially shows a phase in which the victim actively participates in the sexual act. In subsequent recordings, however, she appears completely passive. Without movement or reaction, while the defendant performs the sexual act and simultaneously films her," the judge said, according to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.
(Unioneonline)