A man in his early forties from the Suðurnes region in southwest Iceland has been in custody for six weeks on suspicion of having carried out regular and brutal sexual abuse against his stepdaughter for years.
Archive photo by Páll Stefánsson.
The police are also investigating possible offenses by the man against his daughter and a third girl, to whom he has family ties as well, Fréttablaðið reports.
The man was arrested in late March after the Suðurnes Police Department received charges against him for brutal sexual abuse against his stepdaughter and less serious violations against his own daughter.
The stepdaughter, who is now in her early twenties, told her mother about the abuse, saying it had taken place on and off for about ten years.
Following the revelation, the couple’s daughter, who is a teenager, reported that her father had groped her and that he had threatened to kill both her and her half sister if they told their mother or others about the abuse.
According to the newspaper’s sources, most of the violations took place when the mother was away from the home working night shifts. The last of these violations were allegedly committed against the stepdaughter one week before the man was arrested.
Suspicion also arose that the man had abused a third girl, who used to be part of the family.
The man was originally sentenced to custody for one week but the custody sentence has since been extended three times.
The man was last brought before Reykjanes District Court on Wednesday where the judge ruled he should remain in custody until the end of May out of interest for the public.
His daughter and stepdaughter have received professional care.
The Suðurnes police have stated that they will not release details about the case.
ESA
