Prosecutors are seeking to have Høiby detained for up to four weeks due to concerns about the possibility of reoffending. He has admitted to some less serious charges but denies the more serious ones. Several of his former partners are acting as plaintiffs in the case, and he is prohibited from contacting them by court order.
If found guilty, he could face a sentence of up to 16 years in prison. The trial is expected to last until mid-March and has already sparked widespread public interest in Norway.
Additionally, the case has drawn attention to the Norwegian royal family, as documents recently released in the U.S. indicate that Høiby’s mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, maintained connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein from 2011 to 2014.
According to Norwegian media, Mette-Marit’s name appears over a thousand times in documents provided by the U.S. Department of Justice. On Saturday, the crown princess issued a public apology, describing these contacts as a "shame." The royal court confirmed that in 2013 she spent several days at Epstein's residence in Palm Beach and met with him, but did not visit his private island.
Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001 and brought a son from a previous marriage into the royal family. Haakon is the heir to the Norwegian throne.
