Man convicted of rape seeks lighter sentence in Eastern High Court in Faroe Islands

A man convicted of rape in the Faroe Islands is seeking a lighter sentence than the one he received in the local court. His case is set to be reviewed in the Eastern High Court today.

The man, who is in his early twenties, was sentenced in May to 18 months of unconditional imprisonment for his offense. He was found guilty of rape and forcing a peer into oral sex in a restroom at a bar in Tórshavn on March 10 of this year.

The accused maintains his innocence but has not appealed the District Court’s ruling that established his guilt.

Prosecution initially sought a two-year sentence in the District Court and is set to request the same in the High Court.

As a foreign national, the man has been expelled from the Faroe Islands and is barred from returning for a period of ten years. He was moved to custody following his sentencing in the District Court and remains there to this day.

The man was convicted under the law stipulating that consent is required for sexual acts. Under previous legislation, his sentence would have been less than a year.