(Adnkronos) – The Oslo prosecutor’s office has requested a sentence of seven years and seven months in prison for Marius Borg Høiby, son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who appears in hundreds of the so-called ‘Epstein files’, and of businessman Morten Borg, with whom she had a brief relationship. Stepson of the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Haakon, Høiby must answer to 38 counts that carry a total sentence of 16 years in prison. Among the charges are rape, abuse in an intimate relationship against a former partner, acts of violence against another person, and the transport of 3.5 kilograms of marijuana. Other charges include death threats and traffic code violations.
The twenty-nine-year-old admits to some of the crimes but denies the most serious charges, including the rape of four women who were unable to resist. “Rape can leave indelible scars and destroy lives,” said prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø on the last day of the trial, which lasted seven weeks at the Oslo court. “This can be something the victim carries with them for life,” he added.
Dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved blue polo shirt, Høiby, who is not formally a member of the royal family, did not react when the verdict was read. The case has severely damaged the image of the monarchy in Norway, ever since August 4, 2024, when police arrested Høiby, suspected of assaulting his partner. After seizing phones and computers, police found videos documenting possible crimes and offenses for which he was subsequently indicted.
After the hearing reserved for the prosecution, the lawyers of the alleged victims will speak. The defense will have the last word tomorrow. According to the media, the verdict is not expected for several weeks, or even months.
