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Father and son convicted of abusing the family

Alstahaug District Court Father and Son convictedAlstahaug District Court. Photo: Domstol.no

Father and son convicted of abusing their family

A father in his fifties and one of his sons in the twenties are convicted of abuse and sexual assault against members of their own family. Two sons were charged in the case, but one son was acquitted of all charges brought against him. The father and son convicted were both charged with sexual assault.

 

The father was accused together with two sons in their twenties when Alstahaug District Court in August started a trial of physical and mental abuse, as well as sexual assault against members of their own family over a period of 30 years. When the verdict was proclaimed on Friday, the father was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for maltreatment and the eldest of the two sons was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for sexual assault. They also have to pay compensations of NOK 515,000 and NOK 375,000, respectively according to NRK.

The youngest of the sons was acquitted by the district court on all counts.

– Our client hopes and believes that the verdict by the district court can now put an end to the matter, the man’s defenders write in a statement after the verdict.

They also criticize the police investigation to be biased and not nuanced.

The older son’s defendant reacts to the verdict. Defender Arne Johansen says that the man is both disappointed and surprised.

Outdated sexual assault

The father was also charged with sexual assault against one of his daughters, but was not convicted of this. The court found it likely that the father had committed an assault against one of the daughters. it was On the other hand unclear whether she had been younger than ten years when the abuse allegedly took place and the court could  therefore not judge him because of the rules regarding time limitations. The assaults allegedly happened more than 20 years ago.

Assistant Attorney Terese Kringlebotten says the daughter is relieved to be believed, even though the assaults were considered to be outdated by the court.

Defender Christian Wiig says that the man still considers appealing the verdict.

– The verdict my client received is very strict for family violence. Nevertheless, we must remember that the prosecution’s claim was for  seven and a half years in prison, so the risk is high for the penalty to be stricter if he appeals, Wiig explains to NTB.

 

©  NTB Scanpix / Norway Today