Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

CRIME

Örebro rape suspect detained for 14 assaults

A 24-year-old suspect who has been detained since October for probable cause for 10 assaults against women in Örebro was remanded in custody on Tuesday for four additional crimes.

Published: 11 January 2011 15:34 CET
Örebro rape suspect detained for 14 assaults
Egnahemsgatan in Örebro, where a man is suspected of raping a 64-year-old woman

He is now in detention for a total of 14 assaults against women, Örebro district court announced on Tuesday. If he is convicted for all of the crimes, he would become the worst serial rapist in Sweden’s history.

The man has admitted to the new offences: attempted rape in 2005, attempted robbery in 2008 and assault and sexual molestation, as well as a separate count of sexual molestation, in October 2010.

Although he admitted to the new offenses, he objected to the previous classification of the attempted robbery as an attempted rape in connection with an assault in Örebro’s Varberga district.

He admitted that his intention was to try to rob the woman, which the district court accepted. As a result, the charge was changed to attempted robbery.

“The man told the court about his actions, but he could not explain why he did what he did,” deputy chief prosecutor Pia Åsberg told news agency TT on Tuesday.

She believes that the man will not be suspected of more crimes.

“It stands at 14 crimes, but I am not entirely sure,” she added.

Lawyer Margaret Arvidsson, who is defending the suspect, said her client felt an internal compulsion when he committed his crimes.

“He had conflicting emotions. He felt that he had to commit the crime and at the same time, that he should not do it,” she explained.

According to Arvidsson, the suspect is fairing well, but is considered the restrictive conditions of his detention as quite difficult.

Åsberg estimated that she will be able to formally charge the suspect in mid-February.

According to Åsberg, there are no plans to question him about additional crimes. The charges will be filed on February 7th, but the investigation will probably not be completed by then.

A number of media outlets were present at Örebro district court on Tuesday afternoon for a separate hearing for the suspect in the murder and dismemberment of an Örebro University professor whose body was found on Monday.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

POLITICS

Over a thousand people join protest against Stockholm attack

Over a thousand people joined a demonstration in Gubbängen, southern Stockholm, on Saturday, protesting Wednesday's attack by far-right extremists on a lecture organised by the Left and Green parties.

Published: 27 April 2024 15:36 CEST
Over a thousand people join protest against Stockholm attack

The demonstration, which was organised by the Left Party and the Green Party together with Expo, an anti-extremist magazine, was held outside the Moment theatre, where masked assailants attacked a lecture organised by the two parties on Wednesday. 

In the attack, the assailants – described as Nazis by Expo – let off smoke grenades and assaulted several people, three of whom were hospitalised. 

“Let’s say it how it is: this was a terror attack and that is something we can never accept,” said Amanda Lind, who is expected to be voted in as the joint leader of the Green Party on Sunday. 

She said that those who had attended the lecture had hoped to swap ideas about how to combat racism. 

“Instead they had to experience smoke bombs, assault and were forced to think ‘have they got weapons’?. The goal of this attack was to use violence to generate fear and silence people,” she said.  

EXPLAINED: What we know about the attack on a Swedish anti-fascist meeting

More than a thousand people gathered to protest the attack on a theatre in Gubbängen, Stockholm. Photo: Oscar Olsson/TT

Nooshi Dadgostar, leader of the Left Party, said that that society needed to stand up against this type of extreme-right violence. 

“We’re here today to show that which should be obvious: we will not give up, we will stand up for ourselves, and we shall never be silenced by racist violence,” said said.

Sofia Zwahlen, one of the protesters at the demonstration, told the DN newspaper that it felt positive that so many had turned up to show their opposition to the attacks. 

“It feels extremely good that there’s been this reaction, that we are coming together. I’m always a little worried about going to this sort of demonstration. But this feels safe.”

SHOW COMMENTS