Court upholds detention of man suspected of repeated rapes

Iceland’s Court of Appeal has upheld the detention of a man suspected of repeatedly raping a woman and subjecting her to years of abuse, mbl.is reports. He will remain in custody until October 9.

The case came to police attention after the man attempted suicide. When officers arrived, the woman described years of abuse dating back to the beginning of their relationship, according to a ruling by the District Court of Northeast Iceland.

She described severe physical and sexual violence, as well as control and coercion. The ruling says the man repeatedly strangled her, stabbed her in the back with a knife, held a baseball bat against her throat and repeatedly forced her to have sex through violence and without her consent.

Photos found on the man’s phone appear to show him having sex with the woman while she was asleep. The ruling also says he admitted repeatedly forcing her to have sex through violence and having sex with her while she was asleep.

The man admitted to assaults, strangulation, the stabbing and other offences. He also admitted subjecting the woman and their children to extensive control and coercion, and repeatedly threatening to kill himself, the woman and the children.

The court found there was a very strong suspicion that the man had repeatedly raped the woman. The offences could carry a prison sentence of up to 16 years.

The man’s defence lawyer appealed the detention order, seeking its cancellation or, alternatively, for him to be placed in a hospital or suitable mental health facility. The Court of Appeal upheld the detention, noting that the man had spent some time in a psychiatric ward before being discharged and remanded in custody.