King’s stepson Marius Borg Høiby has freedom bid rejected after failing sobriety test
Marius Borg Høiby, the stepson of King Haakon VIII, will remain under house arrest with an ankle monitor after a court rejected an earlier ruling that found he should be released from custody.
The 29-year-old, who is the son of Queen Mette-Marit from a previous relationship before she married Norway’s now-king, is currently living on the royal family’s private estate Skaugum.
Marius Borg Høiby will remain in home detention at the royal family’s private estate after failing an alcohol test. Chris Jackson/Getty Images
On Monday, the Oslo District Court found that Høiby could be released from custody after nearly nine months in detention.
But the decision was immediately appealed by prosecutors and on Wednesday (early Thursday in Australia) it was announced that Høiby would remain under home detention.
“We would have liked a different result, but take note of the Court of Appeal’s decision,” Høiby’s defence attorneys Alexander Greaker and Daniel Storrvik told state broadcaster NRK.
“We will now thoroughly review the court’s reasoning and discuss the way forward with Høiby.”
Prosecutor Oda Karterud said: “We believe the decision reflects the seriousness of the case and the need to prevent new serious violations of integrity”.
“Consideration for public protection is central and must weigh most heavily in this case, and we believe the Court of Appeal’s decision safeguards this in a good way.”
According to the court’s ruling, Høiby had tested positive for alcohol on one occasion during an unannounced test. Under the conditions of his home detention, he is not allowed to drink alcohol or take drugs.
Høiby is said to have blamed the positive result on mouthwash and fermented apple juice.
Høiby, second from left, was found guilty of rape in June. The verdict has been appealed and will be heard again in February. Rune Hellestad/Getty
However, the court papers described his explanation as “not credible”.
In June, Høiby was convicted of rape and assault and sentenced to four years in prison.
The case has been appealed and will be heard at the Borgarting Court of Appeal from February 9 next year.
Høiby has been in custody since the trial began on February 3 this year, spending time in Oslo Prison before he was released to home detention at the royal estate, Skaugum, where he has remained for the past 16 weeks.
He has asked the court for release several times, but his detention has been extended each time.
Høiby took a prominent role in mourning events following King Harald V’s death, joining his stepfather King Haakon VIII and his sister Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, at the Royal Palace. AP
Høiby’s stepfather Haakon VIII ascended the Norwegian throne in late August after the death of King Harald V.
In September, Høiby was granted special permission from police to attend King Harald’s state funeral and mourning events in the week before. Høiby was also among Harald’s family who gathered at the late monarch’s hospital bedside.
His younger sister, the now Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra − and heir to the throne − will return to Australia for university in February.
The 22-yer-old will resume her degree at Sydney University after cutting short her stay in June this year.
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