Estimates 50 victims in assault case in Stjørdal – most of them are children – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio

A man in his 40s was arrested by the police in February, following a tip-off about a possible criminal offense in a home in Stjørdal. When the police arrived at the scene, the man had two underage girls visiting. An extensive assault case is now under investigation in Trøndelag. – The police are investigating criminal matters which we believe have occurred from far back in time, up to February this year. That’s what Thomas Berg says in a press release on Thursday morning. Expecting to expand the charges There are now 11 victims in the case. The man is charged with five cases of rape against children under the age of 14, three cases of sexual intercourse with children aged 14–16 and two other rapes. In addition, he is charged with downloading abuse material and breaching drug legislation. The victims mostly come from Trøndelag, but also from other places in Norway. In a ruling from Trøndelag district court this week, Berg estimates that the number of names of those affected in the case is around 50. It is mainly about children. – We have identified several victims in the case, and expect that the charges will be extended in this very serious case, he says in the press release. Contact via social media – Mainly the accused has come into contact with the victims in the case via digital platforms and social media, says Berg. There are still more interviews, review of seizures, reports and documentation of findings before the investigation is completed. The police have seized over 20 online accounts and 230 data carriers. These can be, for example, memory cards, hard drives and smartphones. On Tuesday this week, the accused was remanded in custody for four new weeks with letter and visit control, due to the risk of tampering with evidence. He has not decided on the question of guilt. Advice from the police: People with dishonest intentions often make contact in open chat rooms. Don’t join people you don’t know over to private chat services where they can communicate with you without anyone else being present. If you are going to meet someone you only know online, you should not do this alone or without parents being informed. Say no if someone asks you to do something you don’t want to or are uncomfortable with.



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