Marius Borg Høiby has received disappointing news. Borg, who is awaiting sentencing in June, had petitioned the Oslo court to complete his remand at the royal estate of Skaugum, where he would stay with an ankle monitor. Today, the judge determined that Borg posed a high risk of reoffending and must await his sentence in Oslo prison.
Judge Cites High Risk of Reoffending
© LISE ASERUD"The risk of reoffending is significant," said Judge Hans Nikolai Forde, according to a translation from our sister publication HOLA! Spain. Days earlier, it had been reported that Borg's legal team was working on a petition requesting that he complete his remand from home. The measure would be permitted under an article of Norwegian law, allowing an applicant to be moved out of prison if the adults of the household agreed to it. Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Borg's mother, and Crown Prince Haakon, his stepfather, had both consented to his return. All Borg needed was the judge's approval.
"Dressed in a dark blue jacket, matching pants, and white sneakers, Borg was seated alongside one of his lawyers, René Ibsen, and looked straight at the judge as he explained the motives behind his decision," reported the outlet VG.
© ANE HEMThe judge noted that Borg had been detained on four separate occasions before being placed in provisional prison, and that he had presumably violated a prior housing arrangement. He emphasized that several of the crimes Borg is accused of are believed to have taken place in the very home he was requesting to return to. The judge also noted that Borg would have access to phones there, creating a risk of contact with the victims.
Mette-Marit's Health Raised in Court
When Borg and his lawyer addressed the judge, he spoke candidly about the conditions of his detention. "I'm in a prison isolation regime, with very little human contact. I receive two or maybe three visits a week, but aside from contact with guards, human interaction is minimal. Visits only last one hour. It's very difficult not to socialize with anyone for so long," he said. Borg is being kept in isolation due to the prison's standard procedure for inmates accused of rape.
© LISE ASERUDThe most notable part of Borg's statement was the reference to his mother's health. "I have a family member with a disease that makes it challenging for them to come to prison. It's due to the air quality, the mold, and the fact that the prison is an old building," he said.
Mette-Marit has been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a debilitating condition that has worsened in recent months, with doctors having raised the possibility of a lung transplant.
Borg Says His Own Health Is Deteriorating
Borg also addressed his own condition, stating that the isolation was taking a physical toll. "I feel more passive, I'm having trouble sleeping, I'm losing my appetite, and I get the shakes," he said. He added that he had closed the chapter on drugs and alcohol — substances that are prohibited under house arrest conditions. "I'll do everything I can to leave that cell, and I don't want to go back. Besides, I know that I have no second chance," Borg said.
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