– I am fully aware that I used threats, that I played on fear. That was my intention. One should be afraid to attack others, says Stian Kjølås in Kirkenes. His son says that a boy gang has bullied him on several occasions. In May last year, Kjølås took action himself. But his father went too far when he threatened to destroy their life if they harassed the 12-year-old again, says the district court in East Finnmark. The court sentenced him to 21 days unconditional imprisonment. Kjølås has appealed to the Court of Appeal. Repeated harassment Kjølås says that parts of the boy gang of 11-12 years surrounded his son for the first time in the fall of 2023. He was bullied for clothes and appearance and subjected to sexual harassment. – They scared him and threatened him with violence. They should assert themselves and exercise control, gain power. In interrogation, the son has told about several cases of bullying, according to the verdict. The boy isolated and stayed away from places he likes to be to avoid being bothered. The incident Kjølås is convicted of, happened at a shopping center in Kirkenes in May last year. Seven boys surrounded his son, according to Kjølås. – They kick in his bag and his legs. The thread leader even spits on him. When he turns to ask them to cut out, they just point to each other and grin. This is how they continue throughout the store, says Kjølås. Outside the store, the manager brought out the cellphone to film the bullying. One of the boys took the soda bottle to the bully victim and sprayed him and the bike. The goods he had bought in the store were destroyed, according to his father. The fighting was interrupted by an adult man on site. A woman who helped the boy confirms to news that the harassment had been very hard on him. The bullying that ended in court happened at this shopping center in Kirkenes in May last year. Photo: Kristina Kalinina / news confronted the gang When Kjølås learned about the incident, he went to the shopping center with his son to confront the boy gang. According to Kjølås, the leader of the gang suggested that they go and talk to his mother. – I gave him a knuckle in the back, and then we walked down to the store quietly where his mother works. The court, on the other hand, believes that Kjølås took so hard in the boy that it must be considered violence. Kjølås believes some of the other adults at the mall would react if he as an adult man had actually used violence against the boy. According to Kjølås, he did not come up with the conversation with his mother. – None of the parents here acknowledge how the children behave. They see no problem with it, he says. Kjølås got the boy to call the friends, and several came to the place. Then he threatened them in a way that the court thinks is clearly punishable. On Facebook the day before the trial, he was open about it: “I threatened to ruin the lives of all of them about attacks (the son’s name) or anyone else in the flock again.” Kjølås refuses to have threatened to break their legs, as two of the boys have said in interrogation. There are words against words on several points in the case: The boy who Kjølås describes as a gang leader refused in court that he had any knowledge of Kjølås’ son from before. His mother said she had not received any feedback that he is bullies others. Finnmark police do not know that the guys mentioned are acting as a gang. – My son is not allowed to go and hide. He is not allowed to close inside and lose his childhood because of the bullies, says Stian Kjølås. Photo: Kristina Kalinina / news went too far the crucial to court was that Kjølås went too far in using violence and threats, instead of contacting child welfare and police. But the school and child welfare have had plenty of opportunity to intervene against a group that must be known to them, he says. – The premise is that the police and child welfare work and that you can talk to the parents. That’s not the reality, says Kjølås. – You are not believed. And you don’t get help when you ask for it. The police have already proven that my children’s safety is not something they value very highly, says Kjølås. He refers to a case where the same son who was bullied was repeatedly taken in the neck by an adult man. Police closed the case. news has seen the police decision, which states that the man acknowledged the neck grip. Want adults who care to another parent in Kirkenes, Christine Sofie Brasøy Sundsfjord, tells news that she has previously taken hold of some of the boys in the gang “in real Finnmark”. She says she tried to talk to one of the mothers, without getting any way. She also reported to school. – The school said they knew it and that they had a case on it, says Sundsfjord. Sundsfjord believes it is crucial for parents to care about the children’s upbringing environment if the bullying comes to life. – I would have been happy if some parents had come and said they shut up my kids if they didn’t behave. It is normal to do. Have faith in appeal lawyer Christian Wulff Hansen is a defender for Kjølås. He confirms that the appeal has been sent to the Court of Appeal. The core of the case is what is called preventive emergency guard: – How far can you go to prevent something from happening again? Then one must consider the seriousness and action options, says Hansen. – I think many parents can recognize themselves in that they want to protect their kids, says defender Christian Wulff Hansen. Photo: The law firm Wulff He refers to a previous case from Østfold. There, the defendant was acquitted of beating a boy 5-10 times in the face with flat hand. His little brother had for a long time and on repeated occasions been subjected to bullying a boy gang. – Kjølås did not go further than was absolutely necessary to stop these bullies from continuing to harass his son, says Hansen. The prosecutor in the case, police lawyer Victoria B. Wilkinson, completely disagrees. She emphasizes that there was a frightened child of 12 years who called and asked for police help. – Society has clearly stated that bullying is not okay. But just as clearly, society has said that bodily harm and threats of violence carried out by adults against children are not acceptable whatsoever – and are punishable. She thinks adults must be good role models and show that threats and violence are not the way to resolve conflicts. The parents, the school, the child welfare service and possibly also the Conflict Council must be connected, she says. “The police can also be contacted for concern talks and counseling, and possibly call in the parties a meeting and resolve the conflicts,” says Wilkinson. The district court’s judgment also emphasizes that Stian Kjølås should contact the police and child welfare about that case. The defender says there is a little realistic attitude to the world. – The police had not stopped anything the same day. The child welfare service had a three -month duty to investigate. What would have happened is that the boy had to expose himself to bullying for a long time. So it appears unrealistic, says Christian Wulff Hansen. Hansen also believes there is no evidence to say that Kjølås committed violence: – The part of the judgment I think is obviously weak. Published 11.03.2025, at. 13.20
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