Asylum center lead charged with sexual abuse against eight girls

Photo: Berit Roald / NTB scanpix

A man from Agder who worked closely with asylum seekers has been charged with sexual assault against eight girls under the age of 16.

 

All girls are or have been linked to the center, either as asylum seekers or refugees, writes Fædrelandsvennen.

“I can confirm that an action has been taken under section 304 of the Penal Code, which deals with sexual acts against children under the age of 16,” said police attorney Hellek Rue to the newspaper.

The youngest victim was born in 2007, the oldest in 2001.

The accused, who worked in a managerial function, has always denied wrongdoing.

– My client explains that he has only hugged the children or kissed them on the cheek when they met. As a rule, the children were to have taken the initiative.

“This has been the way to greet and with a closed lip kiss,“ says his defendant, lawyer Knut Henning Larsen.

According to Larsen, the man has explained that the kisses have never been sexually motivated.

The defendant was originally charged with sexual acts against 15 girls.

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today