The man and the woman, both with connections to Östersund municipality, got to know each other through work in 2019. They began a relationship after a while, it lasted until October 2021.

During the court proceedings, the situation was described as "stormy" where there was jealousy from both sides, where the man in various ways tried to control the woman and where there was concern for the woman's health from those around her.

Blows and violations

At the end of January this year, the man was convicted of aggravated assault on women for repeatedly abusing and otherwise abusing the woman during the period March to October 2021. It was, among other things, that he beat her and subjected her to violence in other ways, but also pronounced himself derogatory towards the woman and spat at her.

The man was then also charged with rape, but the district court acquitted him of it.

Free from violation of women's rights - convicted of rape

The verdict was appealed and now the Court of Appeal changes the verdict.

The man is now convicted of raping the woman.

The accumulated evidence makes the court consider that the crime has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt;

that it was a protracted abuse carried out against the woman's will.

The woman has provided credible information that is supported by several independent witness statements.

On the other hand, the Court of Appeal does not consider that the man can be convicted of a serious violation of women's rights.

The reason is that the man and the woman cannot be considered to have lived together.

In order for a person to be convicted of a violation of women's rights, the couple must have been married or cohabiting, the Court of Appeal states.

More than doubled damages

However, the man is convicted of all crimes that were considered by the district court together to constitute the violation of women's rights without the Court of Appeal classifying the crime in that way.

He is thus convicted of four counts of assault as well as harassment and unlawful threats.

The sentence is increased from ten months to two years and four months in prison.

At the same time, the damages more than double from SEK 50,000 to SEK 135,000.