First trial over reversed ankle monitor begins in Denmark

A 34-year-old man is on trial in Hillerød for repeatedly removing a court-ordered reversed ankle monitor designed to keep him away from his ex-partner, Danish broadcaster DR reports.

The man is accused of cutting the device off and refusing to have it reattached on multiple occasions. According to his lawyer, Jan Aarup, the monitor was imposed to prevent him from approaching his former partner.

North Zealand Police told DR this appears to be the first case of its kind brought before a Danish court since the reversed ankle monitor system was introduced as a pilot scheme last year.

Unlike traditional monitors, the reversed version alerts police when the wearer enters a restricted area, such as the victim’s home, rather than when they leave their own.

Rikke Nue Møller, director of the Danish Stalking Center, called the case significant, as it tests how the system handles violations. “It’s interesting because we’ve had this sanction for a year, and now we’ll see what happens when someone actively undermines it as much as this person has,” she said.

The man is also charged with failing to charge the device. His lawyer argued that, as his client has no fixed address, he was unable to recharge it as required every 24 hours, and thus pleads not guilty to that charge.

Mette Marie Yde, director of the Danner crisis center in Copenhagen, stressed that victims must be able to trust the system. “They must not feel a false sense of security. If they’re told he’s wearing a monitor, then he must be wearing it. Otherwise, they need to be informed so they can take other precautions,” she said.