TRØNDELAG DISTRICT COURT, STEINKJER (Nettavisen): In the courtroom, Bye admitted to three of the rapes he is charged with.
Bye risks 21 years in prison. A total of 94 women are victims.
Admitted rape with a bottle
Two hours have been allocated to read the charges. Normally, the victims must stand while the charges are read out, but due to the length of the charges, Bye is allowed to sit.
ON SITE: The former municipal chief physician, Arne Bye, present in the courtroom.
Photo: Illustration: Ane Hem (NTB)
He admits to three rapes and 35 instances of abuse of his position as a doctor.
In one of the cases, a plastic bottle was used.
In another case, a deodorant-like object was used.
DEFENSE: One of Arne Bye’s defenders, Erlend Hjullstad Nilsen, during the trial.
Photo: Gorm Kallestad (NTB)
Five in their teens
Bye was previously charged with 88 rapes, but on Tuesday it became clear that the charges had been amended to 87 instances.
Also read: The village is shaken by abuse nightmare: – One of the largest in history
At 10:43, prosecutor Nessimo began her presentation of the charges by emphasizing that each of the women in the charges has her unique story.
EXTENSIVE: Prosecutor Eli Reberg Nessimo read parts of the 23-page indictment.
Photo: Gorm Kallestad (NTB)
Of the 94 victims, there are five teenage girls. The youngest girl was 14 years old when she reportedly experienced abuse. The oldest is in her late 60s.
– A little over 10 percent of this group in Frosta is included in the charges. Many share the same last name. There are sisters, daughters, mothers, colleagues, acquaintances, and friends, said Nessimo.
– He is self-taught
Nessimo points out that Bye was a well-liked doctor and award-winning municipal chief physician in the Frosta community.
She then presented figures from Helfo, which showed that Bye had almost twice as many gynecological examinations as his colleagues.
– The defendant has no further education or specialization in general medicine or gynecology. It has been reported that he is self-taught in gynecological examinations and that he has taken some courses, said Nessimo.
MASSIVE INTEREST: There is a large press presence on the first day of the trial.
Photo: Gorm Kallestad
It is during these examinations that several of the abuses are said to have occurred.
Previous complaints
Nessimo dedicated a good amount of time to going through the three complaint cases that have previously been filed against Bye with the County Governor and the Norwegian Health Authority. The first complaint was submitted in 2006.
At the two first instances, nothing was done with the complaints, aside from Bye receiving a warning in the first instance.
–EVERYONE KNOWS EVERYONE: Prosecutor Eli Reberg Nessimo states that several of the victims are related.
Photo: Gorm Kallestad (NTB)
In 2017, a 17-year-old girl reported Bye. She went to Bye to check a lump on her wrist but was touched down her back, on her bottom, and on her thighs.
This complaint ended with a clarifying conversation between Bye and the 17-year-old, along with her mother.
Found cameras in jacket
In 2021, Bye was again reported by a woman in Frosta. This time it ended with the Norwegian Health Authority suspending Bye’s authorization.
– You are considered “a danger to safety in the health and care sector” and that safety cannot be ensured in any other way than by suspending your authorization as a doctor pending the completion of the supervisory case, states the document from the Norwegian Health Authority, which was presented in court on Tuesday.
JACKET F
During the police investigation, Arne Bye’s house was searched. In a jacket that belonged to him, the police found recording equipment and three video cameras.
During the police search, several other items were also seized, including hard drives, memory cards, and computer equipment.
Thousands of images and video files
6,000 hours of video material, mostly of gynecological examinations, were also seized.
The police seized 47,000 video files from Bye’s clinic.
The video files often showed patients without clothing, and several cameras were used. In the police report, it states that there were normally up to 12 different camera angles and views.
387,000 images were also found. The images were apparently taken in the same timeframe.
– There is no evidence that the defendant has shared any of the video material, says Nessimo.
PLASTIC BAGS: The hard drives, memory sticks, and files were found in both plastic bags and plastic boxes.
Photo: Police
The video material is not part of the charges against Bye.
– Only a small fraction of the material we have found will be presented in court during these weeks, the prosecutor explains in the courtroom.
Bye has previously stated that he collected the videos to prove his innocence.
She highlights the evaluation from experts, indicating that Arne Bye does not show any indications of personality deviations.
– A special situation
After Nessimo’s opening, prosecutor Rikhard Haugen Lyng took over. He emphasizes that this is a special situation with a case where most of the charges have video recordings associated with them.
In 77 of the cases, there is video evidence available.
– There is a strict burden of proof for conviction, but there is no requirement that video recordings must be present for a conviction, he explains in court, referring to the cases where there is no video evidence.
PROSECUTOR: State prosecutor Rikhard Haugen Lyng is one of the two prosecutors in the case.
Photo: Gorm Kallestad (NTB)
– Due to the size of our case, it is not proportionate to go into each individual case, he emphasized.
Lyng points out that several of the instances in the charges involve masturbatory-like movements on the clitoris. He then presented images of objects commonly used in gynecological examinations.
– We have medically approved objects, but in this case, it concerns the medically adequate use of these objects, he explained in court.
He points out that non-medically recognized objects have also been included in the charges.
Then he presents images from the seized video material, including a deodorant-like object
– Even though the filming is not part of the charges, this is in no way acceptable, says Lyng, adding that the prosecution will use the recordings throughout the trial.
Warns the court
Lyng informs that for each victim’s testimony, the video file related to the victim’s doctor’s visit will be shown, in cases where such a film exists.
But Lyng gives a clear warning to the court:
– I want to warn the court that this is very explicit. He has filmed the victims with up to 12 cameras. Some are mounted, and some move around. There are videos from a distance, but also very close-ups of the victims’ genitalia. There are videos that are consistently of good quality. These are strong videos, with sound that amplifies the impression.
Will explain himself Wednesday
On Wednesday afternoon, Bye will explain himself to the court. A day and a half have been allocated for this.
The nearly one hundred victims will not begin to testify before the Trøndelag District Court until the second week of the trial.
He will also have the opportunity to explain himself after each individual victim’s testimony.
Sed in the alleged offenses.
He also mentioned that some of the examinations were unnecessary, highlighting that Bye performed gynecological procedures without the proper qualifications and when not medically required. In many instances, the victims were either unaware of the inappropriateness of the examinations or were coerced into believing the procedures were necessary for their health.
Victim Impact Statements
During the proceedings, several victims are expected to provide impact statements, describing the emotional and psychological toll the abuse has taken on their lives. These testimonies aim to illustrate not just the violation of trust but the long-lasting effects such experiences have on the victims’ well-being.
The public interest in the case remains high, with both local and national media closely following the trial’s developments. This trial not only addresses the alleged crimes of a trusted medical professional but also raises broader concerns about patient safety and the accountability of health care providers.
Next Steps in the Trial
The prosecution plans to call several witnesses to testify, including medical professionals and additional victims. The court proceedings are anticipated to take several weeks as the prosecution prepares to present both video evidence and witness testimonies.
As the trial continues, the focus remains on ensuring justice for the victims and providing a thorough examination of the actions attributed to Bye while also addressing the systemic failures that allowed these incidents to occur over many years.