“Verdict to live with,” says Defence in the Valdres case
The mother in the Valdres case has been sentenced to eight months of suspended imprisonment for gross abuse of her daughter. A decent verdict, the woman’s Defence Lawyer believes.
Eidsivating Court of Appeal has convicted the 47-years-old mother of gross abuse of 13-years-old Angelica Heggelund. They acquitted her of having placed her daughter in a helpless state.
The Defence Lawyer of the woman, Aasmund Olav Sandland, states that the verdict is acceptable.
“The verdict is shattering both the charge and the original sentencing. The verdict is very thorough and is quite far removed from what has been the prosecutor’s position from the word go,” he tells NTB.
One would, naturally, have wanted a total acquittal, but with the conclusion that has been made, it is a perfectly acceptable verdict, based on a comprehensive legal justification, Sandland elaborates.
The woman was sentenced to three years in prison by the District Court. Prosecutor, Arne Ingvald Dymbe, pleaded in the appeal case for three years imprisonment for the mother, one year less than the plead to the District Court. The appeal case started on January 15th in Eidsivating Court of Appeal on Hamar.
Redress to the father
“The Court of Appeal emphasises that there was a symbiotic relationship between mother and daughter «who obviously made it difficult for the defendant to take the control that a parent must in a critical situation»,” writes NRK.
Judge, Ørnulf Røhnebæk, and his associates have not found it proven that the woman placed her daughter in a helpless state. They have thus come to the conclusion that she is acquitted on the first of three charges in the indictment.
The court, however, considers that the mother has subjected the daughter to gross abuse and therefore convicts her to eight months of suspended imprisonment.
In addition, the woman must pay NOK 125,000 in redress to the father of the 13-years-old.
Choked on juice
13-years-old Angelica Heggelund was found dead in a cabin at Beitostølen in Valdres on New Year’s Eve, 2015.
The autopsy revealed that she died of emaciation, possibly in combination with cooling of the body.
The mother explained in court during the appeal case. She explained that her daughter had choked on juice, while she [the mother] was preparing vegetables for the New Year’s Eve dinner.
“She couldn’t get it up. Then I remember no more until I called,” the mother explained from the witness stand.
Prosecutor, First-State Attorney Arne Ingvald Dymbe, pointed out in court that experts estimate the time of the teenager’s death to be six to twelve hours prior to the response of the health personnel. The mother has denied that could be the case.
“I know that I called 113 immediately and just asked for help and guidance,” the indicted mother maintained in court.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
