Photo: AP
Copenhagen: Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has been accused of committing a sex act with an unconscious or defenceless person, with the rape allegation resulting in his third arrest in four months.
Since the summer, the 27-year-old has been accused of assaulting ex-girlfriends, property damage and other offences.
The police say he was arrested again late Monday night (Nov 18), and he has been in custody in the Oslo district of Grønland ever since.
Borg Høiby is accused of sexual activity with a person who was unconscious or otherwise unable to resist the act. The victim is a young woman who has not been featured previously in the investigations.
His lawyer Øyvind Bratlien, told several Norwegian media outlets that he denies the accusations.
Borg Høiby is Mette-Marit's oldest son from her previous relationship, so he does not bear the title of prince and is not an official member of the Norwegian royal house.
On Aug 4, he was arrested for the first time in Oslo on charges of assault and criminal damage and released the following day. He admitted becoming violent towards his then-girlfriend and destroying things in her apartment while under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.
He was then accused of abusing two other women, which he also denies, but for which he was arrested for a second time on September 13. So far, Høiby has not been charged with any of the alleged offences.
The palace did not want to comment on the new allegations to the Norwegian media.
Together with the heir to the throne Crown Prince Haakon, Mette-Marit has two children: Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 20, and Prince Sverre Magnus, 18. – dpa
