A man in his 40s has been sentenced to one and a half year in prison bySunnmøre District Court for violence against his own six children and one stepchild.
According to the verdict, the violence had taken place over a period of 17 years until it was brough to light in 2013. The Sunnmøre District Court believes the children have lived in a regime of insecurity and fear since they were little, according to TV2
Six months of the prison sentence has been suspended with a probationary period of three years.
The court believes he has both pinched the children in the ears, tugged their hair and struck them with an open hand, but still thinks the violence was not serious enough for him to deserve the sentence of two years in prison jail requested by the prosecutor.
The father denied culpability, and in court three of the children described their father as a kind caregiver who was there for them, and they denied that they were victims of violence.
However, they were not believed by the court, who believed they said this out of loyalty to their father instead of telling the the truth about what they’ve been through. According to CPS, the father ordered the children to lie to the child welfare staff.
The mother of the children was also accused of passively witnessing the violence without intervening but during the proceedings the prosecution withdrew the case against her.
In addition, to the prison sentence , the dad has to pay the four children NOK 265.000 in damages.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
