MP criticised for intervening in incest case

The new Minister of Children and Equality (SV), Inga Marte Thorkildsen, is being criticized for her trying to intervene in the police's handling of an incest case. Thorkildsen was a member of parliament back in 2011 when she directly contacted a police officer to ask for a new questioning of a child involved in an incest case, media reports.

The child custody case had circulated in the court system for several years. The mother had accused the father of sexual abuse, but the police, according to reports, later closed the case.

In August 2011, before she was appointed minister, Thorkildsen studied the case and wanted the child to undergo another questioning. She called the police officer and asked to have the case re-opened.

"I told him that I thought the child should have the opportunity to explain himself to experts at the House for Children," says Thorkildsen.

The police officer refused to take the MP's advice. "He dismissed her request and explained that how the police does their job is our business," says Police Chief Christine Fossen.

Thorkildsen emphasizes to media that she would not have made the call if she had been minister at the time. Still, MP Per-Kristian Foss from the Conservative Party thinks that her involvement is over the line. "This case has been taken to court twice. To try to have the case re-opened is not acceptable," he says.