Published: Less than 20 min ago
Updated: Just now
The Court of Appeal overturned the rape sentence against the 50-year-old man because of the word snippa.
The case arouses strong reactions online.
– I think that the judgment is strangely written and I am very questioning the reasons, says legal expert Sven-Erik Alhem.
On Friday, Aftonbladet reported on the case where the Court of Appeal overturned a rape verdict against a 50-year-old man.
The man had been convicted in the district court of child rape. The Court of Appeal also considered that it was proven that the convicted man had inserted a finger into the nape of a ten-year-old girl’s neck.
On the other hand, the legal judges stuck to the meaning of the word “snip”.
The only female judge considered that the man should be sentenced to three years in prison also in the Court of Appeal. The four male legal judges, on the other hand, believed that there was a lack of explanation for what the prosecutor meant by the word snipe. The men also began to discuss how far the man’s finger had been in the girl.
The man was subsequently acquitted in the Court of Appeal.
Legal expert Sven-Erik Alhem, former chief prosecutor, is one of several who react to the Court of Appeal’s assessment.
– I cannot understand the basics. I think the reason for the judgment is strangely written and I question the reasons very much. I wasn’t in the courtroom, but what I’ve read in the judgment sounds strange to me, he says.
“Assuming that the verdict is appealed”
Furthermore, he says that he believes that the case will be tried in a higher instance.
– I assume and hope that the verdict will be appealed, he continues.
Sven-Erik Alhem also says that many cases that have been raised in the past have been noticed in the media, and he underlines the importance of court proceedings being scrutinized.
– Negotiations must be scrutinized more. The vast majority of prosecution cases have their basis in the fact that a journalist devoted a great deal of energy to criticizing or investigating a strange judgment. It is a very important task that journalists have. Many judgments pass without anyone paying attention to them, he says.
Digital protest shared by thousands
Aftonbladet’s revelation about the upturned rape verdict and the Court of Appeal’s assessment has provoked strong reactions on social media. Caroline Svelid, who runs the account “dot pink” on Instagram, has started the digital protest #jagvetvadensnippaär.
– When I read about this, I felt that I wanted to highlight it. I wanted a post that appeals to many and is connected to the event. It is not wise that it can happen like this, she says.
So far, the post has been shared by thousands of people and liked by tens of thousands.
– What I think about the most is how the girl and her family are doing. As a parent myself, I think it must feel too damned that the man was convicted in the district court, but that he is acquitted because of a discussion about what a snippa is, says Caroline Svelid.
– I want the family to feel that there are many of us who stand behind them, and at the same time highlight how sick it is that it is allowed to happen like this in an appeals court, she continues.