Høiby Admits Filming Hotel Encounter as Trial Turns to Credibility Battle

Thursday’s session in the trial of Marius Borg Høiby marked a decisive shift as the defendant gave his own detailed account of the November 2024 hotel encounter at the center of one of the rape charges. Høiby acknowledged that he filmed 27 videos found on his phone from that night and admitted he did not explicitly ask for permission to record, but insisted there was “no doubt” the woman knew she was being filmed. He rejected the allegation of rape, maintaining that the sex was voluntary and based on mutual chemistry, and said he has never shared the recordings.Under questioning, he said that if someone says stop, then it means stop — but added he had no memory of her doing so. He also told the court he struggled to separate what he remembers from that night from what he has since learned through the investigation. An expert in sleep research testified that the short video clips are compatible with both sleep and wakefulness, adding that rapid deep sleep is possible under the influence of alcohol, creating uncertainty about consent.The court then heard from the woman’s friend and sister, who described changes in her behaviour after viewing the recordings in a police interview. The defence highlighted earlier statements in which she spoke more lightly about the encounter, arguing the situation was reinterpreted later and that the legal threshold for the charges has not been met.A dramatic moment unfolded when a former inmate who allegedly claimed Høiby boasted in prison about filming the woman refused to travel to testify. Prosecutors are considering whether to compel his appearance. Høiby denied making such statements and dismissed suggestions he received special treatment while in custody, saying he was treated like any other inmate and describing feeling like “Norway’s most hated man.”With influencer and former partner Nora Haukland expected to testify next, the trial now moves into what both sides anticipate will be an emotionally charged phase focused on text messages, control, fear and the dynamics of past relationships.Portions of this program were assembled with the assistance of AI, including help with translation, summarisation, and news gathering from publicly available sources. While we have taken care to reflect the reporting accurately, translations and interpretations may contain errors. Listeners should treat this as an informational overview, not a verbatim court record. Nothing in this program should be considered a factual finding or legal determination.AI is sometimes used in the creation of this podcast, primarlily when used to translate and interpolate Norwegian language news soruces.You may also enjoy these other Royal Podcasts.Palace Intrigue - daily updates on the current British Ryal FamilyCrown and Controversy - British Royal Family after the TV Series The CrownKing William - The Crown in the FutureCrown and Controversy - King CharlesCrown and Controversy - Norway