Lawyer demands that 17-year-old be released in the Sigtuna case

Three students, aged 17–18, have been detained on probable cause for gross sexual harassment and gross assault at Sigtunaskolan in early October. Two more boys are suspected of assault and illegal coercion. There is an ongoing police investigation and everyone denies it.

On Friday, a remand hearing will be held for one of the boys.

It is lawyer Hanna Lindblom who has requested the remand hearing for her client, among other things because of his age, he is 17 years old but turns 18 in December.

- He is too young to be deprived of his liberty and I will appeal to the district court to set him free, Hanna Lindblom tells DN.

Why would it be better for him?

- It goes without saying that you generally feel better to be at home than to be locked up in a prison.

Hanna Lindblom also emphasizes that he denies any crime. The 17-year-old is on probable grounds suspected of gross sexual harassment, gross illegal coercion, illegal threats and serious assault.

- I mean that there are no probable grounds for these serious suspicions, otherwise I cannot comment on the investigation, she says.

He has restrictions. How does it affect him?

- I won't go into that, but I think everyone understands that.

You have argued that they are victims of a toxic culture at the boarding school. It is something that the lawyers of the two other detained boys agree with.

- Yes, I stand by that and I also think that I have been heard in the public debate.

In addition to the police investigation, the School Inspectorate has said that they will begin a new inspection of the school.

- In the School Act, it is very clear that whoever runs a school must systematically work for a school free from violations, said Marie Axelsson, Director General of the School Inspectorate in SVT Morgonstudion on Wednesday.

The school inspectorate can conclude that Sigtunaskolan has not done enough and can impose a fine and also close the school.

Sigtuna School's boarding director Mazdak Sarvari said in the same morning studio, among other things, that there are problems that are deeply rooted in the school's history, which "you have to understand and try to break".

- The school says somewhat cryptically that these are serious allegations that they take seriously. But they really have to think about what the next step is, says Hanna Lindblom.

Elin Ternert, who represents another of the detainees, believes that a big responsibility lies with the adults at the school and the boarding school, that they teach the students what is right and wrong.

- I agree with that. You can't let so many young people go and leave them to peer education and penalism, without there being adults present to put their foot down and teach them that this is not how you behave.

DN has applied for Sigtunaskolan.