On Thursday, a local politician in Vestfold was arrested by the police and on Friday he was detained for four weeks on suspicion of buying sexual services from minors.
The charge also includes threats and violations of the Alcohol Act.
The politician is on one of the Progress Party’s lists for this year’s election and has a real chance of getting a place in the municipal council after the election.
He is appealing the imprisonment, says his lawyer.
Alleging multiple offences
Police attorney Magnar Pedersen in Vestfold.
Photo: Robert Hansen / NRK
Police prosecutor Magnar Pedersen will not comment on the case now, but the charges refer to violations of several sections of the Criminal Code.
Section 298: Sexually offensive behavior in public or without consent.
Section 309, first paragraph: Purchase of sexual services from a person under the age of 18.
§ 263: Threats that are “suitable to cause serious fear”.
Section 231: Drug offence.
He is also charged with having bought alcohol for someone who is not old enough to buy for himself.
Anchor immediately
The Vestfold district court believed that there was reasonable cause for suspicion and that it was a matter of criminal acts that could result in a higher penalty than imprisonment for six months, says the ruling from the district court.
In the ruling, the situation is described as unclear, but that the accused himself has said in his statement that he has “had contact with the offended girls, and that he has received “a couple” of nude photos from some of them”.
The court considers that there is a risk that the politician may destroy evidence if he is released.
Therefore, they allowed the police to imprison them while the case is investigated.
Lawyer Jon Anders Hasle is appealing the imprisonment on behalf of his client.
Photo: John-André Samuelsen / NRK
The politician’s lawyer, Jon Anders Hasle, tells NRK on Sunday evening that his client denies criminal guilt and wants to appeal the imprisonment.
– I am working on the appeal now and it will be sent during the day.
Hasle will not go into what the client has explained about the conditions for which he is charged.
If the appeal does not help, then the man will be imprisoned until three days before the election.
That is why we anonymize
Expand/minimize fact box
The case is of public interest, but NRK does not identify the local politician. The case is at an early stage and consideration of third parties (those concerned) comes into play.
At the same time, there is a legitimate need for information to the public in a case like this.
The District Court has handed down a ruling of four weeks’ detention.
NRK has also emphasized that the accused has a public role, as a high-profile local politician for several years.
The party leadership is shocked
The circumstances for which the politician is charged have not occurred in a party context.
Nevertheless, the Progress Party is affected by what has happened.
– I am shocked by the whole case, says the leader of the local team in the relevant municipality. He says the case is both very unfortunate and regrettable and that they are taking it seriously.
He has notified Frp’s central leadership about the matter.
Assistant general secretary of the Progress Party, Helge Fossum.
Photo: FRP
Assistant general secretary Helge Fossum says they are aware of the case in Vestfold and that the organizational committee will have a meeting about this tomorrow, Monday.
The regulations in the FRP are such that members who are under investigation or charged with criminal offenses have their membership frozen until the case is decided, says Fossum.
2023-08-13 18:24:22
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