Teacher charged with abuse says relationship began after girl turned 16

A teacher in his 40s charged with sexual activity with a girl aged between 14 and 16 has told investigators that a sexual relationship began only after she turned 16, Dagbladet reports. He is also charged with abusing his position. The case concerns one complainant and events from 2019.

The man denies criminal responsibility. He was arrested last week and remanded in custody.

“The court has noted the defendant’s statement that the sexual relationship with the complainant first arose after she had turned 16 and was no longer attending lower secondary school,” the Follo and Nordre Østfold District Court wrote in its custody ruling.

The court nevertheless found probable cause to suspect him of both charges.

Norway’s age of consent is 16, meaning that sexual activity with people younger than 16 is a criminal offence.

The court initially banned publication of the ruling but has now lifted the restriction, it confirmed to Dagbladet. Police prosecutor Marit Sørby of the Eastern Police District declined to comment on its contents.

Police confirmed on Wednesday that the teacher had previously come under scrutiny for “inappropriate contact” with girls with whom he had a professional relationship. The two earlier criminal cases, from 2024 and 2025, were both dismissed. The first was dismissed because the case was time-barred. The incidents in those cases occurred further in the past than the events in the current charge.

Øyvind Henriksen, municipal director of Nordre Follo, confirmed to Oppegård Avis that the man was arrested last year. Henriksen said the municipality had been in close dialogue with police about how to handle the matter.

Police said they could not comment further on the 2025 case beyond confirming that it had been dismissed. “Our focus now is the case covered by the current charge,” Sørby said.

Alongside his teaching job, the man volunteered at two churches, where he worked with young people. Church administrator Øysten Paulsen confirmed to Dagbladet that several reports had been received about him. The first, submitted in 2024, concerned “unwanted sexual attention” and was reported to police.

Paulsen also notified the man’s employer. The man was removed from voluntary duties for a year before returning in a limited capacity without working with young people.

Henriksen confirmed that the church and the school where the man works had been in contact, but declined to comment on the content of that contact or how it had been handled.

The man has no previous criminal convictions. His lawyer, Tone Monclair, previously said he had given a statement and wanted to cooperate with police. Dagbladet was unable to reach her on Thursday after the publication ban was lifted.

Police have received numerous tips since the case became public on Monday. Police prosecutor Camilla Elvevoll said earlier this week that some tips could lead to more complainants.