The case in summary Two men from Southern Norway, including a local politician, have been charged with a number of offenses against six young asylum seekers, including threatening behaviour, rape and exploitation of a person under the age of 18 in a particularly vulnerable life situation. The minor asylum seekers are said to have been threatened with not getting help with a residence permit if they did not accept sexual intercourse. The local politician had the role of guardian for 17 asylum seekers over several years and is said to have committed the abuses in this role. The offenses must have taken place between June 2017 and December 2020, and the rapes must have taken place in hotel rooms, at the home of the accused and abroad. The investigation has been going on for several years, and an asylum reception center is said to have notified about the man’s behavior as early as 2017. 27 days have been set aside for the trial, and it is expected that there will be a compensation claim against the defendants. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. The extensive case started in the Agder District Court on Monday. The two men from Southern Norway who are accused of sexual assault against minor asylum seekers, deny most of the points. One of the men nevertheless admits to having broken a restraining order when he liked an Instagram post of one of the minors. The other defendant, who is his husband, admits to having had sexual relations with the victims. But he claims that this was with consent. – My client does not plead guilty to any of the charges. He clearly claims that the cases have been voluntary and consented to. That is what the husband’s defender, Kristoffer Wibe Kock, says. It was police prosecutor Tove Haugland who read out the comprehensive indictment. The two are charged with several matters, including: threatening behaviour, rape, sexual intercourse with someone who was unconscious or unable to resist the act, exploitation of a person under 18 in a particularly vulnerable life situation, breach of a restraining order, threats to spread nude images The police believe that the assaults took place in the period 2017 to 2020. These are the points for which the married couple are charged: Both are charged with: “Having obtained sexual intercourse through violence or threatening behavior or had sexual intercourse with someone who was unconscious or for other reasons is out of capable of resisting the act” “Having procured or another sexual intercourse, or caused someone to carry out acts corresponding to sexual intercourse with themselves by abusing a position, relationship of dependence or relationship of trust, or exploiting a person under 18 years in a particularly vulnerable life situation” The man who was the asylum seekers’ representative is charged with: “Procuring or having another sexual intercourse through abuse of a position, relationship of dependence or relationship of trust or by exploiting a person under the age of 18 in a particularly vulnerable life situation” “To have violated a restraining order” The husband of the representative is accused of: “To have obtained sexual intercourse through violence or threatening behavior and the rape included the introduction of a penis into the rectal opening” “To have obtained or another sexual intercourse, or caused someone to carry out actions that correspond to sexual intercourse with oneself by abusing a position, a relationship of dependence or a relationship of trust, or exploiting a person under the age of 18 in a particularly vulnerable life situation” A comprehensive case The most serious parts of the indictment relate to rape, which alone has a penalty of up to 15 years in prison. The minor asylum seekers are said to have been threatened with not getting help with a residence permit if they did not accept sexual intercourse. Counsel for the six victims, Erik Glad Balchen, says there are several aspects of the case that make it very serious. – Of course, that is who the victims are. There are minor asylum seekers, who are a vulnerable group of people, and then there is the scale, he says. Changed The first of the six victims explained himself in court today. He said that the relationship with one of the defendants, who was previously his guardian, was good at the start. – I looked at him as a father. He was kind and helped me, says the man, who is now in his mid-20s. At this time he had not received a residence permit and needed help, which he got from his guardian. Furthermore, he says that the guardian changed when he drank alcohol. One of the victims explained himself in court on Monday. Photo: Screenshot The husband assaulted himself When the victim was 17 years old, the guardian is said to have asked him to have dinner with the husband, the other defendant. The victim explained in court that this was something he did not want to do, but that he did not dare to say no. He then told about the sexual abuse he allegedly suffered by the guardian’s husband. After the alleged assault, the victim must have told the guardian what his husband subjected him to. – He was shocked and angry. I was very afraid of what he was going to do. He finally said that he could forgive me, but that it was my fault, explained the victim. The guardian is accused of having contributed to the actions by not doing anything to prevent the situation. Placed in positions of power One of the men appearing in the district court has held central positions in the local community and in politics. In addition, he has had the role of guardian for 17 asylum seekers over several years. The man was in this role when the abuse against the boys allegedly took place. The former local politician is charged with one count of rape, while her husband is charged with three counts of rape. According to the indictment, the rapes must have taken place in hotel rooms, at the defendants’ homes and abroad. The six victims came to the country as unaccompanied minor asylum seekers around 2015. The offenses reviewed in court must have taken place between June 2017 and December 2020. Comprehensive investigation The indictment comes after several years of investigation. news was able to report last week that an asylum reception center reacted to the man’s behavior towards the boys as early as 2017. The concern was taken up by both the police and the County Governor. The police opened an investigation case, which was later dropped on the basis of the evidence. The county governor opened a supervision case, called the man in for a concern interview, and stripped him of his role as guardian. But when the case was dropped by the police, the man was allowed to continue as guardian. 27 days have been set aside for the trial. It is the public prosecutor in Rogaland who has drawn up the indictment because the first public prosecutor in Agder has declared himself incompetent. This is because he has previously been a defense attorney in the same case. It is expected that there will be a compensation claim against the defendants. Six weeks have been set aside for the extensive case in Agder District Court, which will last until April 4. Hi! Do you have thoughts about the case you’ve read or suggestions for other things we should check out? Feel free to send me an email!
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Allegedly threatened to have sex with young asylum seekers – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
