A 45-year-old man is on trial in Copenhagen City Court, accused of sexually assaulting several prostitutes after allegedly refusing to pay the agreed-upon price. He faces charges of rape through sexual relations other than intercourse, attempted rape, and indecent exposure.
The prosecution alleges that the man assaulted four women in various locations in Copenhagen during the summer and autumn of 2023. These assaults purportedly occurred after disagreements arose regarding payment for services.
According to the indictment, one instance involved the man allegedly fondling a prostitute’s crotch, buttocks, and breasts, despite her repeated attempts to push him away and requests for him to leave. Another prostitute reported to the police that the man refused to pay the agreed price and then refused to leave the room despite being asked to do so. The indictment further states that he assaulted her, even as she resisted and kicked him.
The man denies all charges and has pleaded not guilty. He admits to having communicated with prostitutes, citing 157 text message correspondences found on his phone by police, and to visiting them after work during a difficult period in his life. He claims to be happily married.
He acknowledges visiting the locations mentioned by the women but disputes their accounts of the events. He admits to attempting to negotiate lower prices upon arrival, stating, “It was easier to try to push the price down when I had come to the agreed place. If I write in a message that I would give 500 kroner, then I know that they will never agree to it.”
The man also claims to have experienced unwanted touching from prostitutes in the past when he declined to agree to a price. He suggests that he might also have touched the women as a persuasion tactic but would stop if they expressed discomfort.
He recounted an incident where a woman was upset because he left without paying, explaining that he did not find her attractive upon arrival because she did not resemble her photos.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for May 26.