The short version
- Psychologist Atle Austad changes his explanation in the trial surrounding Viggo Kristiansen
- Austad initially claimed that Kristiansen partially acknowledged a sexual assault against a young boy, but now withdraws this
- Austad has contacted the state prosecutors to change the statement and says he remembered incorrectly
- This causes surprise among the defenders, who have not experienced similar situations before
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On Friday, Viggo Kristiansen’s psychologist said that Kristiansen had partially admitted to assaulting a young boy. Kristiansen has previously denied this abuse.
Along with the indictment for Baneheia, Kristiansen was also indicted for abusing a boy when the boy was a child.
Kristiansen was convicted of the abuse of the boy in the district court, but acquitted in the court of appeal. The boy received NOK 50,000 in compensation.
On Friday, the psychologist Austad was asked if Kristiansen had admitted to having committed the sexual assault against the boy. Then he answered:
– He did not acknowledge that it was in the form that was described to him (…) I take it to mean that he agreed that he had crossed the line.
On Tuesday, he is back in court – to withdraw this completely.
Viggo’s former psychologist
Austad has therefore contacted the state attorneys to change what he previously said.
What do you want to correct, asks State Attorney Johan Øverberg.
– I remembered completely wrong, begins the psychologist.
Public prosecutor
He says that he was contacted by Viggo Kristiansen’s girlfriend after he had finished testifying.
– I then found out that Viggo was quite angry with me, says Austad.
He then says that he then went to his own journals to check the information:
– Kristiansen has never acknowledged anything in relation to this boy. This is solely because I have remembered completely wrong, says Austad.
He then says that he has written a small account of how it could happen.
– I was completely convinced that he had it, says Austad further.
Then Jan Helge Andersen’s defender, Svein Holden, begins to ask Austad questions:
– How could this have happened, that you have remembered wrongly? Holden asks
– It is simply my thoughts that have turned into false memories, says Austad.
– Have you spoken to anyone other than Viggo Kristiansen’s girlfriend about this?
– No, I haven’t spoken to anyone else, replies Austad.
– No other?
– No.
The judge then asks Austad if he read the verdict about the assault before he was to testify.
– I have read the judgment relating to the Baneheia case in 2007-2008.
– Does that mean that you do not remember whether you have read the parts of the judgment that concern these sexual abuses against other children?
– At least I don’t remember that now, from the other cases, replies Austad.
Never experienced anything like it
Jan Helge Andersen’s defenders, Celine Krogh Fornes and Svein Holden, are very surprised that the psychologist wanted to withdraw his explanation. They elaborate:
– It is not usual that you come back with additional comments after you have first given your statement to the court, says Krogh Fornes.
Svein Holden agrees:
– I have never experienced this before. That an expert comes again to explain himself, and retract what he has said.
Krogh Fornes also says that they feel the case has been sufficiently clarified, and that it will be up to the court to assess what probative value can be extracted from his testimony.
VG has not yet succeeded in getting hold of Viggo Kristiansen’s lawyer Brynjar Meling.
Viggo Kristiansen’s assistance lawyer
VG’s Krimpodden follows the Baneheia trial closely. Listen to the episodes via VG+ or on Podme.
– He is angry with me
VG has spoken to Atle Austad after he changed his explanation. When asked how he could remember wrongly, he replies:
– I’ve been thinking all weekend what caused me to remember incorrectly. Why on earth have they become false memories, says the psychologist.
Austad points out that if you strongly believe in something – and think about it a lot – then false memories can arise.
– And I did that in the period 2004 to 2008. Then there were expectations in society – and in me – that Viggo Kristiansen was guilty and that he would admit everything.
The psychologist says that he believed that Kristiansen was guilty, until 2010-2011.
– Viggo is absolutely right. When I checked the records, it is true that he never once talked about what happened.
Austad says that he was informed late on Thursday evening that it was a point to read the journal before he was to testify on Friday.
– It’s a shame that I didn’t get information about it sooner – because I was pretending to have general questions about Viggo. I live in Nesodden, and didn’t have time to go into the office in Oslo to read the journal.
– You said in court that Viggo Kristiansen is angry with you. Can you elaborate on that?
– He is angry with me now, yes. He feels really hung for something that is not right. He won’t talk to me.
– Have you tried?
– Yes, he is clear that he does not want it.
– Are you going to do anything against him in the future?
– I have done what I have to – corrected the mistake I made. If not, I would have broken my promise to the court, and I consider myself obliged to speak up. Beyond that, I’m not going to do anything against Viggo. So I don’t know what’s going on.
Jan Helge Andersen was convicted of murder and assault in Baneheia together with his friend Viggo Kristiansen. Kristiansen has always said he is innocent, and in 2022 he was finally acquitted. By then he had served more than 20 years in prison.
Kristiansen has been a key witness in this trial. It is because Andersen maintains his explanation, where he claims that it was the two of them who carried out the crimes together.
A central point in Kristiansen’s acquittal is the argument his defenders have used that Kristiansen has previously always admitted the abuses he committed before Baneheia.
That the psychologist Austad said on Friday that Kristiansen had partially admitted something to him that he had previously denied, is therefore relevant in the case against Jan Helge Andersen.
Kristiansen has previously been convicted of assaulting a young girl in the mid-90s. He has acknowledged this.
Kristiansand city court sentenced Viggo Kristiansen to 21 years in prison for, among other things, the rape and murder of the two girls. Jan Helge Andersen was sentenced to 17 years in prison, and acquitted of the murder of Lena Sløgedal Paulsen.
Viggo Kristiansen and Jan Helge Andersen both appealed the verdict. Kristiansen because he pleaded not guilty, while Andersen appealed the sentencing. The Court of Appeal upheld the verdict against Kristiansen, and gave Andersen a two-year longer sentence. They both appealed to the Supreme Court. Kristiansen’s case was not processed, while Andersen’s was rejected. The sentence of 19 years’ imprisonment was upheld.
Kristiansen maintained his innocence throughout and petitioned for the case to be reopened several times. On 18 February 2021, the Re-admission Commission decided that the case should be looked at again. Kristiansen was released from Ila prison on 1 June 2021, after 21 years behind bars.
It is decided that the Oslo police district will carry out the new investigation. Andersen is charged in the new Baneheia investigation, for the murder of Lena Sløgedal Paulsen (10), for which he had previously been acquitted.
Attorney General Jørn Sigurd Maurud apologized most strongly to Viggo Kristiansen when he presented the Attorney General’s recommendation to the Borgarting Court of Appeal in October 2022. The result of the new investigation was that Kristiansen must be acquitted. On 15 December, an acquittal was handed down in the Borgarting Court of Appeal. Viggo Kristiansen was thus innocently convicted of the murders in Baneheia.
On 12 January 2024, the Attorney General requested that charges be brought against Jan Helge Andersen for the murder of Lena Sløgedal Paulsen (10). On 16 April 2024, the trial against him begins in Sør-Rogaland district court.
