Violence indicted couple may not see their infant

The visiting ban of a couple from Hønefoss, charged with gross bodily harm against their 11-week-old infant, is maintained by Ringerike District Court.

The couple were banned from visiting in connection with the charge. The father appealed the ban, but Ringerike District Court upholds the decision by the prosecutor. The couple has had exceptions from the visit ban. They have met the child, under supervision, at set times.

The court ruling emphasises that children should not have weaker legal protection than adults. Ringerike District Court believes that visitations will be an offence to the victim in the case, i.e. the infant, since the couple is suspected of violence.

“Offended adults would have been sheltered in a similar situation,” according to the ruling.

Protection

The police wish to maintain the visiting ban. They believe that there might be a risk of further criminal acts.

“The victim must, furthermore, be protected from an alleged perpetrator. There are sound reasons for that they shouldn’t be together after such a serious act,” Prosecutor at Southeast Police District, Per Thomas Omholt, tells VG.

Admitted to the hospital

The District Court does, however, not agree with the police that there is a danger of further criminal acts:

“The victim is hospitalised, and it is not considered to be any real or immediate danger of abuse of any character,”.

The child has been admitted to Ullevål hospital in Oslo for over a month. Its condition is serious, but not life-threatening. The infant has suffered severe head trauma and is apparently inflicted permanent brain damage.

Three hypothesises

The symptoms of the child indicate that the injuries may have been caused by shaking. The police have three hypotheses about the cause of the injuries:

Intentionally inflicted
Caused by an accident.
Medical reasons.

Both mother and father refute the charge against them. The father’s defence told VG that the visitor’s ban is unjustified.

“We believe that this visiting ban has no legal basis. There is no perceived or real risk of violating this child in any way,” according to the father’s Defence Lawyer, Jon Anders Hasle.

Life-threatening violence against a baby