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A high-profile trial opened this week in Oslo involving Marius Borg Hoiby, the 29-year-old stepson of Norway's Crown Prince Haakon and eldest son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who is facing a sweeping set of criminal charges that has gripped the Scandinavian kingdom, reported CNN.
Hoiby, who has no official royal title or duties, pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and one count of domestic violence as proceedings began, though he has admitted guilt on several lesser offences. The 38-count indictment also includes allegations of assault, abuse in close relationships, threats, possession and transport of illegal drugs, and multiple traffic violations, authorities said. If convicted on the most serious charges, Hoiby could face up to a decade or more in prison, prosecutors told the Oslo District Court, where the trial is expected to run through mid-March. Hoiby stood quietly in court on the opening day of the trial, listening as prosecutor Sturla Henriksb publicly read out the charges against him. He responded "no" to each of the four rape counts, along with other serious allegations contained in the indictment. While maintaining his innocence on the most severe charges, Hoiby has pleaded guilty to several driving offences, to an aggravated drugs offence, and to breaching a restraining order filed by a former partner against him, his lawyers confirmed, reported CNN. Testimony this week has included emotional scenes in court, with Hoiby breaking down at times as he described his life under intense media scrutiny since childhood, a spotlight that began when his mother's relationship with Crown Prince Haakon brought him into the royal circle. On Wednesday (local time), he denied that videos found on his phone showed acts of rape and rejected claims that he had drugged one alleged victim, insisting the encounters were consensual and that he had "never" drugged anyone. The alleged offences span several years, with prosecutors saying some occurred when women were unconscious or unable to resist, claims that Hoiby's defense argues were misinterpreted and rooted in consensual interactions. The trial comes at a sensitive time for Norway's royal family, already under public scrutiny due to recently released documents showing past communications between Crown Princess Mette-Marit and convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, an association she has publicly acknowledged as a grave error in judgment. Despite the attention on the case, the royal household has taken a largely hands-off approach. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit have chosen not to attend court proceedings and said they do not plan to comment publicly during the trial, underscoring the separation between Hoiby's personal legal issues and the formal functions of the monarchy. (ANI)
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