Dad Ingebrigtsen is being questioned today in the courtroom in the case where he is charged with psychological and physical abuse of two of his seven children, track star Jakob Ingebrigtsen and his only daughter, who has requested anonymity.
According to the indictment, the father, at the beginning of 2022, hit his daughter in the face with a wet towel. Last week, the daughter testified and told that he hit her a couple of times, where the second hit "hit my cheek".
Dad Ingebrigtsen remembers that they started arguing – but not that any hit should have hit her face.
She is really angry and says to me: "I don't want to sit in this prison anymore" at the same time as she holds up her index finger. In the situation, I pull the towel towards her fingers twice in quick succession.
My reaction was exaggerated, admits Gjert Ingebrigtsen.
Several times during today's questioning, the first of three coming days, the 59-year-old burst into tears. Among other things, during the account of the towel incident, where he had to ask for a break.
"Never had anyone"
It's not the kind of person I am, or want to be, but in the situation I was in, it happened what happened, and I have a clear impression that I hit her finger.
Earlier in the day, he told about his childhood, where he lost his father due to illness.
I never had anyone, he says with tears in his eyes.
He continues to tell that he and his wife didn't have any role models or advisors when they had children at a young age. He also admits that the rules at home were sometimes harsh.
We never practiced any form of punishment. Instead, I was keen on explaining the consequences to the children.
We had to create rules as best we could. Traditional, conservative, patriarchal. We were stiff when it came to certain things, but very liberal when it came to other things, he says about the upbringing the children received.
During the first day of the trial, a week ago, the 59-year-old denied all allegations of violence that appear in the indictment.
"Feel condemned"
He does not recognize any situations where he should have subjected his son Jakob Ingebrigtsen to violence.
I have never in my life as a child, young or adult hit anyone, he says.
He also directed criticism towards the media, the police, the athletics association, and the legal aid.
I feel condemned in the media, which has received support from the legal aid and the police. Our reputation is crushed and destroyed, if we ever had one.
