The 29-year-old, wearing black glasses, a brown sweater and gray-beige pants, was present at Oslo District Court with two defense lawyers, but has invoked his right not to be photographed in the courtroom.
Marius Borg Høiby is on trial for a total of 38 charges, including four counts of rape, assault in a close relationship, violation of a woman's privacy, vandalism, violence, violation of a restraining order, death threats, serious drug offenses and traffic offenses.
The defendant stood for 24 minutes while State Prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø read the charges against him. The prosecutor began with the four rape charges.
Borg Høiby denies these - as well as allegations of violence in a close relationship. He spoke very softly, sometimes so softly that those present had difficulty understanding what he was saying. Several times he did not respond when addressed but instead shook his head.
Invited to Skaugum
When the first plaintiff was heard in court, only a few journalists were allowed to listen from another room. There was also a ban on taking notes on certain information that may be considered sensitive. Høiby also listened from another room during the woman's testimony.
The rape in question allegedly took place at the Crown Prince and Princess's estate in Skaugum in December 2018, after Høiby met the victim and two other women at a nightclub in Oslo and then went to Skaugum for an after-party.
Earlier in the evening, the two reportedly engaged in consensual sex, which the plaintiff interrupted after a short while. The woman describes that everything went "black" later during the after-party at Skaugum.
I've never experienced that before, she says.
The court does not want to comment.
Police later found videos on Marius Borg Høiby's devices that allegedly show him touching the woman's genitals while she was lying on a couch. It was only during questioning with the police that she saw the videos and realized what had happened.
The newspaper VG has been in contact with the royal family regarding a rape that allegedly took place in or near the Crown Prince and Crown Princess's residence. They declined to answer the newspaper's questions or comment on whether Haakon and Mette-Marit were at home at the time.
After the day's proceedings concluded, Høiby's defense lawyers Ellen Holager Andenæs and Petar Sekulic told the assembled press that their client is experiencing the situation as "difficult" and that he is "clearly affected."
Both because the case is serious and because of the massive press coverage.
Marius will testify
Petar Sekulic also says that they are considering appealing the four-week detention of Marius Borg Høiby, who was arrested by police on Sunday and is charged with assault, threats with a knife and violation of a restraining order. On Monday evening, Høiby was in hospital, where he was reportedly examined by doctors.
Tomorrow, the Skaugum woman's testimony will continue and Marius Borg Høiby will also give his account of the events.
