20+ Offenders in NRK Sørlandet Abuse Case
- LYNGDAL, Norway – A former sports leader in Lyngdal, Norway, faces an expanded indictment encompassing abuse against approximately 20 children, according to police.
- The indictment against the accused now includes sexual abuse of an additional victim under the age of 14.
- The accused, a man in his 30s, was previously employed by Lyngdal sports club, Karl Igland, the club's general manager, confirmed to NRK that the man was hired...
Former Sports Leader in Lyngdal Faces expanded Abuse Charges
LYNGDAL, Norway – A former sports leader in Lyngdal, Norway, faces an expanded indictment encompassing abuse against approximately 20 children, according to police. The charges, dating back to 2011, include sexual abuse, production of child abuse material, and physical abuse. “The police have so far identified about twenty children in the illegal material,” stated Police Lawyer Ingrid Thorsen of the Agder police district.
The indictment against the accused now includes sexual abuse of an additional victim under the age of 14. Thorsen clarified that this new charge is unrelated to children or individuals within the Lyngdal community.
Arrest and Custody
The accused, a man in his 30s, was previously employed by Lyngdal sports club, Karl Igland, the club’s general manager, confirmed to NRK that the man was hired in 2021.
Lyngdal Idrettslag, a sports club with over 1,000 members, is popular among children and young people in the area.
The man’s arrest occurred in August of the previous year, and he has remained in custody since. A ruling from Agder District Court mandates his continued detention until July 6,justified by the expanded charges and ongoing investigations.
Bjørge Usterud Tveito,the accused’s legal defender,declined to comment on the extended charges when contacted by NRK.
Trial Anticipated before Christmas 2025
Police attorney Thorsen indicated that the inquiry is still active, including a forensic psychiatric evaluation of the accused.
“The investigation will therefore not be completed until early July 2025. We assume that the main hearing may be held in the case before Christmas in 2025,” Thorsen stated.
The case originated from a report filed last August by a mother who discovered the sports leader had taken pictures of her son. This report led to the uncovering of a larger abuse case involving multiple child victims.
Background Checks
The Norwegian Sports Federation mandates police certificates for individuals in positions of trust or duty with minors or individuals with learning disabilities.
Police confirmed that the accused had provided police certificates before his employment with Lyngdal Idrettslag.
Notably, four years prior, a coach from the same club was arrested and subsequently convicted of sexual abuse against children on the football team he coached. The man, in his 20s, received a two-year prison sentence.