Johny Vassbakk’s former best friend told the court that Vassbakk kept many things from his friend.
– He lived two lives, there is a lot that he kept from me, said the former best friend in court.
From the witness stand, the former best friend told Vassbakk that he was surprised that the former partner had previously been convicted.
Vassbakk is previously convicted of violence against women. He is now charged with the 1995 murder of Birgitte Tengs, but has always denied his guilt.
I didn’t know about violent incidents
The two were best friends from 1983/1984 until the late 1990s.
– We were together practically all day, says the witness.
It emerged in court that he spent several hours interviewing Bjørn Olav Jahr in working on Jahr’s book “Who Killed Birgitte?”.
It was in connection with this work that the former best friend gained insight into a part of Vassbakk’s life that he previously knew nothing about.
– I didn’t know that he was convicted, that he was in prison, the former best friend explained to the court.
Violence against women
In an earlier ruling it is stated that Vassbakk has a “long and special criminal record”.
In 1986, then 15-year-old Vassbakk allegedly passed a woman on a bicycle and then waited for her. Without warning, he allegedly hit her seven to eight times on the head with a bicycle pump.
She fell to the ground and her jacket was pulled over her face, according to a report written by secretary Grete Strømme at the Haugesund police, which referred to the police questioning of the woman.
In 1991, the man became convicted of assault and sexually motivated exposure.
On September 10 of the previous year, Vassbakk had entered the psychologist’s home in Haugesund. There he attacked her by tying a rope around her neck until he smoked.
In 1991, the Court of Appeal defined the attack as “very close to attempted murder».
– He was convicted while I was his friend. I didn’t know that, says the former best friend.
– He was angry
The ex-boyfriend says, however, that Vassbakk may have a short temper.
– He was angry, explained the man.
From the witness stand, the former partner said he and Vassbakk had no contact after they stopped spending time together in the late 1990s.
– I’m sure
In court, the former best friend was also asked if he thought Vassbakk knew where Gamle Sundsveg was. This is the street where Birgitte was found murdered in 1995.
Earlier, Vassbakk said that he only been to Gamle Sundsveg once beforeand that he was with a relative several years after the murder.
When questioned by the prosecutor, the former best friend stated that Vassbakk knew where Gamle Sundsveg was when they were friends from 1983/1984 to the late 1990s.
– I’m sure of it, said the ex-partner.
Vassbakk’s former lover from the early 1990s also confirmed that the defendant likely knew the whereabouts of Gamle Sundsveg.
Today, the police interview with her was read out in court. There it transpired that she and Vassbakk had likely driven to meet friends on the road before the murder.
