Reykjavík District Court sentenced a man in his forties to seven years in prison yesterday for repeated sexual abuse against a young girl and boy from 1997 to 2010. He is also to pay his victims ISK 1.6 (USD 13,000, EUR 9,800) and 3 million in damages, respectively.

The girl, who was his wife’s niece, was 12-15 years old when the man abused her from 1998 to 2002, ruv.is reports.

His abuse against the boy was carried out during a period of 13 years, from 1997 to 2010 with intermission, from the age of 7-10 and 14-18. As his son’s friend, the boy spent a lot of time at the man’s home.

According to Fréttablaðið, the verdict states that he paid each of his victims ISK 5,000-10,000 (USD 40-80, EUR 31-61) for intercourse.

Both victims are considered to have suffered mentally from the abuse. The girl’s psychologist traces her anxiety disorder, which prevents her from working, to the abuse. The boy became addicted to drugs.

The man was arrested in 2010 after the boy reported the abuse. He was 18 at the time. The man has maintained his innocence throughout the case. The sentence is among the longest in sex abuse cases in Iceland.

ESA