Norwegian crown princess's son found guilty of rape

Key Points:

• Marius Borg Høiby, son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, was found guilty of two counts of rape and sentenced to four years in prison by Oslo District Court, though he was acquitted of two other rape charges.
• The court also convicted Høiby of abusing an ex-girlfriend and causing serious bodily harm to another partner, ordering him to pay 640,000 kroner in compensation to four women involved in the case.
• Prosecutors had sought a sentence of over seven years, while the defense requested 18 months; Høiby denies all charges and plans to appeal the verdict.
• The trial has cast a shadow over the Norwegian royal family, as Høiby grew up within it, but the palace has declined to comment on the verdict and is withholding further statements on Crown Princess Mette-Marit's health.
• Crown Princess Mette-Marit is seriously ill with pulmonary fibrosis and on a lung transplant list; Høiby's defense has requested his release to be with his mother, but this has been denied after an appeal overturned an initial release decision.