Marius Høiby is asking a Norwegian court to lift the electronic ankle monitor that has confined him to the royal family's Skaugum estate since mid-July, with his defence team describing his current situation as unbearable, according to VG and TV 2.
The 29-year-old is being held in custody with electronic control — the formal term for detention at home under a tag — rather than in a prison cell. His lawyers announced last week that they would file for release, and a new custody hearing is now under way. Prosecutors are seeking to extend his detention by four weeks, arguing there is a risk he will commit further offences.
Why it matters
The hearing tests how far Norway's home-detention system can stretch for a high-profile defendant awaiting appeal. Høiby was convicted in Oslo District Court and sentenced to four years in prison, including for the rape of two women and for domestic abuse against his former partner, Nora Haukland. He has appealed parts of that verdict, and the appeal is scheduled to begin on 9 February, with the Borgarting Court of Appeal reserving 16 days.
Until that appeal is heard, the question of where he stays — and under what restrictions — remains live. The outcome will shape both his daily life and how the courts weigh public safety against the burden of pre-trial detention.
Defence says the arrangement has stopped working
Høiby's lawyer, Storrvik, told TV 2 that the tagging arrangement worked well for a long period but has since broken down. He said there are circumstances he does not wish to discuss publicly that have changed the situation, and that it no longer functions for his client.
The defence has said the strain on Høiby is heavier than what has been reported publicly, and that he wants the chance to explain to the court how the current regime affects him. According to VG, the lawyer's position is that if the tagging scheme were working, Høiby would plainly rather serve his sentence at home than in a closed prison later. The fact that he is nonetheless asking for release, the defence argues, shows how serious the situation has become.
A therapist and a representative from Friomsorgen, the probation service, are expected to give evidence about Høiby's condition and about how the tagging scheme operates in practice.
What the restrictions allow
Under the current arrangement, Høiby must remain in his residence on the Skaugum grounds or on the deck outside it unless he has permission to leave. He may receive visitors and is permitted daily sick visits to his mother, Queen Mette-Marit, who lives in the main house on the same property. Court proceedings have indicated he gets three hours a day for those visits.
He can also leave for work, school, treatment or to visit family members if authorised. A garage on the estate where he likes to work on motorcycles is currently off limits to him.
Høiby takes part in weekly sessions with RISK, a police-run programme on risk assessment and the prevention of violence in close relationships. He is also subject to frequent drug and alcohol tests, with those carrying them out arriving unannounced with only a few minutes' notice, he told the court. The checks can come at any time.
Prosecutors point to risk of new offences
The prosecution's case for continued detention rests on the danger of further offending. They are asking for four more weeks in custody, VG reports.
The hearing is the latest in a series of custody reviews for Høiby, and Norwegian outlets including NRK, TV 2 and Adresseavisen have reported that he is appearing with new defence lawyers and witnesses as he seeks to have the tag removed.
Watch for the court's ruling on the prosecution's request for four more weeks and on the defence application for release.
