Court sentences man to 3.5 years for assaulting partner
Tuesday 20th October 2026 on 18:15 in
Iceland
A man has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for an aggravated offence in an intimate relationship and a serious assault on his partner, mbl.is reported. West Iceland District Court found that he repeatedly hit her and choked her, but said it was not proven that he intended to kill her.
The man must pay his partner 1.2 million krónur in compensation, plus interest, and cover legal costs of more than 4.1 million krónur. Time in custody since July 7 will be deducted from his sentence.
The woman told the court that after an argument, she locked herself in the couple’s bedroom. The man kicked the door open, attacked her on the bed and sat astride her. She said he hit her with a closed fist, covered her mouth and nose and choked her, at times with both hands. She struggled to breathe and feared for her life. The two fell to the floor, where he continued choking her, she said.
A neighbour called police after hearing screams and an intimidating male voice. When officers arrived, the woman was distressed and had visible injuries to her face and neck. Police found blood on the bedroom walls and bed, along with a lock of her hair and an earring on the floor. The door frame was damaged near the lock.
The man denied the charges, saying the woman had attacked him and that he had held her to calm her and stop her screaming. He denied hitting or choking her, or pulling her hair.
The court found his account unconvincing and inconsistent with the evidence. It considered the woman’s account credible and supported by medical records, the neighbour’s testimony and police reports. The court found that the man had repeatedly hit her in the face, pulled her hair, covered her mouth and nose, and choked her, causing the injuries described in the indictment.
Medical records showed pinpoint bleeding around the woman’s eyes and in the roof of her mouth, as well as injuries to her neck. The court said these findings supported her account of being choked. A forensic doctor said the injuries were not life-threatening and were expected to heal without permanent physical harm, but indicated that considerable force had been applied to her neck for some time and had disrupted blood flow through its vessels.