Stepson of Norway’s crown prince convicted of rape, sentenced to 4 years in prison

OSLO, ‌June 15 — The stepson of Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon has been found guilty of ‌two counts of rape, one count of domestic violence and other crimes and is sentenced to four years in prison, an Oslo court ruled today.

Marius Borg Hoiby, 29, who joined the royal family when his mother Mette-Marit married Haakon in 2001, ‌was acquitted on two other accounts of ⁠rape.

He had pleaded ⁠not guilty to ⁠the most severe accusations against ⁠him, ⁠including those of rape, while admitting to some lesser ones, and can ⁠appealthe verdict.

Prosecutors had asked that Hoiby should be sentenced to seven years and seven months of prison.

The seven-week trial gripped the Nordic country, ⁠detailing Hoiby’s drug addiction, self-made videos of sexual encounters and more than 800 electronic ⁠messages entered into evidence. One alleged rape took ⁠place ⁠in the basement of the crown prince’s family home, the court heard. — Reuters