Barely one week after the terror attack in Oslo last year, a loving couple in their late 20s experienced harassment on the open street in Bodø. Among other things, the man is said to have asked: – Are you all gay? Before he followed through, he is said to have said: – If it had been up to me, you would have been shot. Now he has been sentenced to 36 days in prison. He also has to pay a fine of NOK 40,000. The man pleaded not guilty. – My client will not dispute that he has said what is in the indictment, or what others explain. He doesn’t have a great memory of what was actually said, said the defender in court. Has taken action – The statement was made in a night club shortly after two people were shot and killed in Oslo. This may imply the use of an unconditional prison sentence. However, the court has doubted that a conditional prison sentence and a fine are sufficient, the judgment states. Here, the court has emphasized, among other things, that the man must have taken measures to gain control over his alcohol use. – The defendant made the statements while under the influence of alcohol. It is positive that he now sees the need to get control of his alcohol use, and that he has apologized for his behaviour. – Good result It was Hroar-William Wiik Adelsten and Kjetil Malm Hamlandsø who experienced the harassment. – It makes me believe that such matters are taken seriously. I wasn’t sure how it would go, but I think this is a good result and it shows that there will be consequences for the actions, says Wiik-Adelsten to news. At the start, Wiik-Adelsten had doubts about whether he wanted to expose himself by going for a report. Now he feels that they have been heard by society, and that the court has now determined that this is not okay. – Don’t be afraid to speak up if something happens, no matter how big the issue is. Both I need this, queers and minorities need such a result. Was filmed The incident at the restaurant was filmed, and quickly spread on social media, where several people are said to have identified the man. The man has repeatedly apologized for the incident and said that what he did was reprehensible. In his explanation in court, he said that painting a car and repairing a lawnmower led to personal stress. This caused him to drink half a bottle of alcohol that night. – I have felt a lot of shame and regret and self-loathing afterwards. He was also accused of having made hateful remarks of a racist nature towards another man on the same evening. It happened at another restaurant in the city centre. He was also convicted for this. Must have received a warning – The prosecution registers that the court has the same assessment of the evidence as the prosecution and is satisfied with that, says police attorney Erik Magnus Blomli to news. The man is employed at Nord University. According to the verdict, the man must have received a written warning. Among other things, it must have been shown that the behavior has created reputational challenges for the university. The defendant does not currently teach students, but he is still working at the university.
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Man sentenced for inciting gay couple in Bodø – news Nordland
