Photo credit: AP
Norway Crown Prince Haakon’s stepson, Marius Borg Hoiby, was convicted of rape and domestic violence on Monday and sentenced to four years in prison, after a seven-week trial that has further damaged the Norwegian royal family’s public image.The Oslo District Court delivered the verdict, finding the 29-year-old guilty on two counts of rape while acquitting him of two other rape charges. He was also convicted of domestic violence, bringing an end to a trial that lasted seven weeks.According to AP, Hoiby was accused of sexually assaulting four women who were “asleep or otherwise unable to resist between 2018 and 2024.”He is said to have faced a total of 40 charges, including four counts of rape.Hoiby denied the most serious charges against him but admitted to several lesser offences, including assault, drug-related crimes and breaches of a restraining order; he remains eligible to appeal the verdict. Prosecutors, however, sought a prison sentence of seven years and seven months.Reuters reported that Hoiby ‘was found guilty of two counts of rape including one in the basement of the crown prince’s home,’ while being acquitted of two other rape charges. Judge Jon Sverdrup Efjestad, delivering the verdict, said, “The court finds it is proven she was not able to resist the action,” referring to one of the rape incidents at the royal residence, according to Reuters.The court proceedings also exposed detailed evidence presented during the trial. It was reported that the case involved “self-made videos of sexual encounters and more than 800 electronic messages entered into evidence.”The stepson watched the verdict via video link from prison but could not be seen or heard in the courtroom.Hoiby’s legal team had earlier maintained that the allegations were unsubstantiated. AP reported that defence lawyers said “there was no evidence to support the rape charges.”One of the complainants was present in court as the verdict was read. The news agency reported that she “cried after the judge said Hoiby was guilty of raping her and dabbed her eyes with a tissue her lawyer gave her.”The case has drawn wider attention in Norway due to Hoiby’s proximity to the royal family. He is the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship and became part of the royal household when she married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001.Hoiby has no royal titles or official duties, but the case has nonetheless affected public perceptions of the monarchy.The sentencing comes at a sensitive time for the royal family, with Crown Princess Mette-Marit also dealing with serious health issues, including a lung condition requiring a transplant.This also coincided with the Crown Princess’ apology for ‘poor judgement’ over maintaining contact with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after his conviction in 2008.The case now moves into the post-verdict phase, with Hoiby expected to have the option to appeal the conviction.
