Marius Borg Hoiby and his mother Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit attend a government party event in Oslo, Norway, in 2022. Hoiby is facing 39 charges, including four counts of rape. File Photo by Lise Aserud/EPA
March 19 (UPI) — Prosecutors said that if Marius Borg Høiby, son of Norway’s crown princess, is found guilty, he should serve more than seven years in prison for the 39 charges he faces.
The charges include four rapes and assaults, rape and domestic abuse, multiple breaches of restraining orders, and drug and driving offenses.
One charge of violation of a restraining order has been dropped.
Høiby, 29, pleaded guilty to several minor charges but denied the rape charges.
The final day of the trial is Thursday, but it could take months for the judges to give a verdict.
Several alleged victims have testified, including Høiby’s former girlfriend, influencer Nora Haukland.
In all four rape cases the victims were either asleep or incapacitated. Early in the trial, Høiby told the court, “I don’t sleep with women who aren’t awake.”
His mother is Mette-Marit, who is married to the crown prince of Norway. Høiby is her son from a previous relationship. He grew up in the royal family, but is not an official member of it.
Mette-Marit was a friend of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which was revealed from one of the Epstein files releases from the U.S. Justice Department. Her health has declined due to pulmonary fibrosis, and she has said needs a lung transplant.
The prosecution asked the court for Høiby to be in prison for seven years and seven months. It also asked that he be banned from contacting one of his alleged victims for two years and asked that several devices, including three iPhones and a MacBook, be confiscated. It also wants his driver’s license to be taken away for two years, and for him to have to take a new driving test after that time is up.
“These are very serious acts,” said state attorney Sturla Henriksbø. “It is among the most serious offenses in our criminal code to apply to violations of integrity. And it should entail a strict and tangible reaction in each case.”
Police attorney Andreas Kruszewski said Høiby should not be given a “penalty discount” because of media attention.
“The fact that you commit criminal acts after the media spotlight has been directed at you as a well-known person contributes to the fact that he should not receive a reduction in sentence,” Kruszewski said.
