Marius Borg Høiby Faces Expanded Charges in Ongoing Investigation

The Arrest of Marius Borg Høiby

Oslo police district received information at the beginning of September that Marius Borg Høiby (27), the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, had had unwanted contact with a woman regarded as a victim following an incident on Frogner on August 4.

Based on this, the police filed charges for reckless behavior and imposed a restraining order against Høiby concerning the woman. Recently, police received information indicating that Høiby had violated this restraining order. It was decided that he should be arrested due to the risk of reoffending. He was apprehended late Friday evening, as confirmed by police attorney Andreas Kruszewski in a press release.

Release and Extended Charges

Shortly after 2 PM on Saturday, Høiby's attorney, Øyvind Bratlien, confirmed to TV2 that he had been released. “He should never have been arrested,” said Bratlien. Regarding Dagbladet, he criticized the police’s arrest:

• “Høiby was arrested because he allegedly contacted the victim once on Saturday, September 7, despite the restraining order, from a hidden phone number. This decision is dated September 10,” Bratlien wrote in a text message and added:

“Høiby disputes this and does not admit guilt. In my 17 years as a defense lawyer, I have never experienced a situation where someone was arrested on such thin factual and legal grounds.”

The charges against Høiby have been expanded, now including four victims in the case. The police have indicated a high priority on investigating the matter.

Ongoing Investigation

For the victim involved in the incident on Frogner, the charges now also include reckless behavior and violations of a restraining order, in addition to another case of bodily harm from earlier.

Dagbladet has contacted the victim's counsel, Mette Yvonne Larsen, who does not wish to comment on the charges.

For Juliane Snekkestad and Nora Haukland, both of whom have accused him of violence, the charges each include a case of abuse in close relationships. Violations of Section 282 of the Penal Code—which addresses abuse in close relationships—carry a maximum penalty of six years in prison.

Police Involvement and Future Steps

“This is as expected after the police gathered Nora’s testimony and evidence, and we hope the case will reach a quick conclusion,” wrote Haukland’s counsel, John Christian Elden, in a text message to Dagbladet.

Høiby is also charged with threats against another person, with a complaint filed by the police in this matter.

The police security service (PST) confirms to Dagbladet that they are aware of what occurred last night. “Beyond that, we have no comments and refer to the Oslo police district,” said Eirik Veum, a senior advisor at PST, to Dagbladet.

Dagbladet learned that Høiby was met with a greater police presence when he was arrested.

Mette Yvonne Larsen confirmed to Dagbladet on Saturday morning that she was unaware of the arrest. She further stated that neither she nor her client had reported Høiby for violating the restraining order.

According to NRK's reports, Høiby was arrested in the Innlandet police district. However, Innlandet refers to Oslo police district.

Dagbladet commentator Martine Aurdal describes the violation of a restraining order as a “serious matter.” The sentence for this is up to one year in prison.

“This is a reaction from the police that is often called for in several cases involving violence in close relationships, as the risk of reoffending is often high. Violating a restraining order is a serious matter,” says Aurdal. “This is a case that just keeps getting worse,” she believes. The arrest will require Marius Borg Høiby to explain himself to the police again, both about what happened that night and about the events following afterwards.

Background Information

Lately, Høiby has faced charges for bodily harm, vandalism, and threats after an incident at his ex-girlfriend's apartment in Frogner, Oslo, on the night of August 4. In September, he was issued a restraining order against the alleged victim.

In a statement on August 16, Høiby admitted to committing bodily harm and vandalism. He referred to the victim as his girlfriend and pointed out his struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues.

Earlier this week, Se og Hør published details from a conversation between Høiby and police officials from the Oslo police, who visited Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s eldest son at his home in Skaugum last year. They also discovered that Høiby had violated the restraining order against the woman who has the status of a victim after the incident on Frogner on August 4.

The police confirmed that they conducted a preventive conversation with Høiby because they were worried about the environment around him.

“Important for my client,” said the attorney representing Julianne Snekkestad, Petter Grødem, after learning of Høiby's arrest on Saturday morning. “We hope the arrest leads to Høiby providing further explanations to the police. It will be a step forward in the case, which is crucial for my client.”