Man convicted of abuse, acquitted of rape in Bergen
A man is in Bergen County Court sentenced to one year and ten months in prison for abuse of his wife.
The couple is originally from Pakistan and met each other as part of an arranged marriage, writes Bergens Tidende.
She accused him in October 2014. The accusation was put aside and the two moved in together in May the following year. In February of this year, she sought up the emergency ward, which in turn alerted the police.
The man was arrested and has been detained ever since. He was charged with raping his wife several times in 2013 and 2014. Additionally he is charged with a number of cases of maltreatment and violence against her from 2013 to February this year. The woman has suffered physical and mental injuries and is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Rape not proven
The prosecutor asked for imprisonment for eight years, but the court found that one year and ten months in jail was appropriate punishment. The court found no evidence that he had raped her and showed, among other things, to that she had not told the police about this at the first hearing nor had mentioned it to trustworthy friends.
– I have not yet discussed the verdict with my client, but notes that the court did not find that the evidence submitted was sufficient for conviction for rape, says the lawyer representing the woman, Kaj Wigum.
According to the verdict, the man repeatedly brought other women to their home and had sex with them while the woman was present.
The woman is awarded somewhat more than NOK two million in compensation.
© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today