Police do not rule out additional charges in Oslo and Bærum assault cases

A man in his 20s, arrested for a series of assaults in Oslo and nearby municipalities, will appear in custody hearings on Monday, with police indicating further charges may be added, Dagbladet reports.

The suspect was detained on Saturday and is currently charged with four counts of aggravated assault, according to police prosecutor Ellen Alvilde Arge. However, investigators have not ruled out expanding or modifying the charges as the case develops.

“We do not exclude the possibility that the charges may change or be extended,” Arge told Dagbladet on Monday.

The man has so far declined to provide a statement to police, a position confirmed by his defence lawyer, Berit Kjelleberg, who declined to comment further on the allegations.

Six assaults under investigation
Police are examining six incidents linked to the suspect, including attacks on elderly women in Bærum and Asker, as well as an attempted sexual assault in Oslo.

The cases include:
– An assault on an 82-year-old woman in Rykkinn, Bærum, on 28 March.
– An assault on a 93-year-old woman in the same area on 16 April.
– An assault on a woman in her 70s in Hyggen, Asker, on 13 April.
– An attempted sexual assault on a younger woman in Ammerud, Oslo, on 15 April (charged as aggravated assault).
– A newly reported assault in Spikkestad on 13 April.
– An additional assault on 9 April in Rykkinn, matching the suspect’s description and method.

In at least two incidents, the attacker reportedly used a bat-like object. The suspect is described as under 30 years old, under 175 cm tall, slim, and dark-skinned, with a registered address in Oslo.

Police have secured evidence, including phone records placing the suspect near the crime scenes at the relevant times. Authorities believe the assaults may have a sexual motive.

The suspect will appear in court for a custody hearing at 13:00 on Monday.