Marius Borg Høiby: Judgment is imminent – ​​can he go to Mette-Marit?

The verdict will be announced on Monday Marius Borg Høiby case expected. 20 minutes answers all the burning questions about the trial, which has caused a stir far beyond Norway’s borders.

What allegations were made in the trial?

For almost seven weeks, alleged victims, witnesses, judicial staff, psychologists, sleep experts and Marius himself were heard in the Oslo district court. The son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who has been in custody since the end of the trial, is said to have raped several women, among other things. You can see an overview of all charges below.

The question was repeatedly discussed in court as to whether Marius and the women had consensual sexual intercourse, whether the women were awake during it or were under the influence of drugs. The descriptions varied from case to case. On the third day of the trial, the defendant caused a stir when he said that the alleged victims had told him that he could continue having sex even if they were asleep. Although it never happened, the agreement existed.

Some explicit videos that Marius made of the women were shown as evidence. Text messages were also read out to find out more details about the relationships between him and the alleged victims. These often painted a picture of toxic conditions.

The allegations of violence and rape took up a large part of the trial days. At the end of the trial it was about the alleged drug and traffic offenses. The Norwegian has already confessed to some of them.

Who was involved in the process?

Marius was present on almost every day of the trial, took notes and testified himself. He was defended by Petar Sekulic and Ellen Holager Andenæs. Andenæs is one of the most well-known people in the Norwegian legal and police system. She once worked as a police commander and was considered uncompromising and assertive in the role. After her police career, she became a prominent criminal defense attorney and has represented other well-known clients in the past, including in the Nokas bank robbery trial.

The alleged victims and witnesses appeared anonymously – except for Marius’ ex Nora Haukland. The 29-year-old became known after winning the reality show “Love Island Norge”. Today she works as an influencer. She had a relationship with Marius from 2022 to 2023, which attracted a lot of media attention in Norway.

Public prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø, various sleep experts and judicial staff also appeared. Before being appointed prosecutor, Henriksbø worked as a police lawyer in the Oslo police district. He is knowledgeable in the Norwegian justice system, particularly in the prosecution of violent and sexual offenses.

The presiding judge in the proceedings is Jon Sverdrup Efjestad. He passed the verdict together with the two lay judges Per-Otto Oppi Christiansen and Monica Eriksen. In Norway, for serious crimes – such as in Marius’ case – it is common practice to use lay judges alongside the full-time judge to make decisions.

What verdict can be expected?

During the trial, Marius’ defense focused on raising doubts about the alleged victims’ accounts. In their closing argument they stated the following sentence:

As expected, the public prosecutor’s demands are higher.

The most serious allegation – the rape – is also the most difficult to prove. “They typically take place in a private environment, without independent eyewitnesses,” explained Servet Yildiz Stêrk, founder of the Oslo law firm Sterk, to 20 Minutes.

The lawyer did not want to make a prediction about the verdict: “In such cases, mixed results are possible – convictions on individual counts, acquittals on others, depending on the evidence for each individual crime.”

The decisive factors will be the judicial credibility test and the assessment of the digital and technical evidence. However, a change in the law from last year could play into Marius’s hands. As of July 1, 2025, the minimum sentence of three years no longer applies to certain counts of rape, giving the courts more leeway in sentencing.

Norwegian law also recognizes the principle of lex mitior: “If new law leads to a more favorable result for the defendant, the more lenient law can apply.” In practice, recent decisions by the Supreme Court indicate that in certain constellations of “sleep rape,” the penalties could be lower compared to the previous legal situation, according to the lawyer.

What caused a stir outside of the trial?

Marius has had to go to hospital several times in the past few months – the reason is unclear. He became emotional several times during the trial, crying or raising his voice. He also spoke about how his psyche was suffering from solitary confinement.

At the moment, not only his own future is likely to be a burden for him, but also that of his mother. Mette-Marit suffers from chronic lung disease. Her condition has deteriorated enormously in the last few months. A few weeks ago, the palace announced that the 52-year-old would have to undergo a lung transplant.

Finally, the court rejected Marius’ renewed demand for release. The reason that he wanted to see his sick mother was not enough for the judges. The 29-year-old is currently in hospital again, which is why he will not appear at the sentencing hearing.

Leonie Projer (pro), born in 1997, is deputy head of the People department and has been working at 20 Minuten since October 2022. She gained her first journalistic experiences at Tele M1 and “ArgoviaToday”.