Attempted arson murder in Hamar

Fire department.Photo: Christian E. Bergheim / Hamar Arbeiderblad / NTB scanpix

Prosecutor calls for 18 years custody for attempted arson murder in Hamar

The prosecutor has once more claimed 18 years of detention for a 40-years-old who is found guilty of having fired the house of the chief magistrate of Hamar.

 

The accused was convicted by the jury in Borgarting Court of Appeal on Thursday, after a long assessment. The conclusion was that the man was guilty of attempted murder and also arson.

Custody instead of normal sentencing

After the ruling by the jury, prosecutor Tormod Bakke Friday asked for a sentencing of 18 years custody with a minimum of ten years , NRK reports.

Bakke had previously suggested that he would ask for the same verdict as in the district court if the court of appeal found the 40-year-old guilty once more.

– Bakke believes that the case is so serious that custody that is the right sentencing instead of normal prison sentencing, according to Hamar Arbeiderblad.

Denies Culpability

Magistrate Svor and his wife were not at home when their house was ignited and burned down on July 22, 2013. Their daughter and a girlfriend escaped the burning house.

The accused has all the time denied that he was is behind the fire. No technical evidence attaches him to the fire, but witnesses and other evidence have convinced the jury of his culpability.

The motive behind the arson is supposedly that magistrate Svor has rendered a verdict in a custody case which was not favourable for the 40-years-old.

Threatened the wife

Particularly, the explanation by the mans ex-wife has been central. She explained in court that the 40-years-old confided to her that he was responsible for igniting the house.

She told the court that the police did not believe her at once.

– Until they began to find evidence that what I said was true. But I knew that I put myself on the top of the list of people that he was not finish when I said what he had told me about the fire at the Svor recidence, the woman stated in the court of law, reported by Hamar Arbeiderblad.

The defendant was first convicted in Sør-Østerdal district court last year. At the time he was found guilty of a total of 34 violations of 22 paragraphs in the Criminal Code. Among other issues, he was convicted of violence and threats against his ex-wife, threatening of journalists and drug crimes.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today