Accused of assaulting five girls – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country

In January, the police received a report from a child welfare institution in Eastern Norway. There, one of the employees was accused of having exposed one of the girls at the institution to abuse. When the police questioned the girl, it was revealed that there could be more victims. Now the man is charged with sexual assault against five girls. The girls were between 14 and 16 years old when the abuse allegedly took place. All lived at the child welfare institution where the man worked. A number of matters The former employee is now charged with: Sexual intercourse with children under the age of 16. Attempted rape of children under 16 and threats. Two cases of sexually offensive behavior against children under the age of 16. Sexually offensive behavior towards children over 16 years of age. The man is also accused of having received and stored several sexualizing images of one of the victims. Lawyer Thor Anders Smith Hoem defends the accused man. He will not comment on the case, nor will he say how his client is responding to the charges. The police have previously told news that the man denies criminal guilt. Took his own life The first girl the man was accused of assaulting took his own life shortly after three other victims were questioned by the police. – I do not want to speculate on the background of why she chose to take her own life, but it is clear that it is a serious case that affected the victim during questioning, said police attorney Stian Moltke-Hansen Tveten to news earlier this year. The girl’s survivors have been informed that news is now discussing the indictment. Police attorney Stian Moltke-Hansen Tveten. Photo: Rahand Bazaz/news – Taken seriously The man worked at the child welfare institution from September 2022 to January this year. According to the indictment, the assaults must have taken place in the autumn and winter of 2023. Dorthe Brubak Borgen is a legal aid lawyer for one of the other offended girls. – My client is aware that a prosecution decision has been taken, and feels that what she has explained has been taken seriously, she says to news. Legal aid attorney Dorthe Brubak Borgen defends one of the offended girls at the child welfare institution. The man has no previous serious criminal history. The only conditions news has found are two speeding fines. He must not have been employed at any other Norwegian child welfare institutions. All the offended girls have been informed of the indictment and that news is publishing this case. – My client is aware of the indictment. She feels that the police have taken her explanation seriously and that she has been listened to, says legal aid lawyer Julia Victoria Eikrem Gerhardsen. Julia Victoria Eikrem Gerhardsen is legal aid for one of the girls at the child welfare institution. Photo: AURLIEN VORDAHL & CO ADOKAVFIRMA AS Not arrested or detained The accused man was arrested in connection with the search of his house. Then he was also questioned. He has since been released. – The information in the case indicated that there was no contact between the suspect and the victim. We therefore assessed that there was no risk of tampering with evidence, says police attorney Stian Moltke-Hansen Tveten to news. The police also did not believe that there was any danger of recurrence, because the man no longer worked at the institution. It is not yet known when the case will appear in court. Hi! Do you have any tips or thoughts after reading this case? Feel free to send me an e-mail. Previously, I worked with the documentary project Instukids, which shows how children and young people become addicted to drugs and exposed to abuse while living in Norwegian child welfare institutions. Published 27/09/2024, at 15.04



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