Ex-police chief charged with sex offences

Former Uppsala police chief Göran Lindberg has been formerly charged with sex crimes including aggravated rape in connection with a six month investigation involving nine women, one as young as 14-years-old.

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As an active police officer, Göran Lindberg developed an international reputation for giving talks on the importance of gender equality and the perils of sexual harassment, and his arrest on January 25th on suspicion of raping a woman and attempting to rape several children was met with shock and consternation among many who had worked with him.

But after a six month investigation a file of over 1,000 pages has been accumulated on Lindberg linking him to a slew of sex crimes. As the allegations have mounted there has been intense media interest in the case, which has now been classified by the prosecutor.

"I have classified the entire investigation in respect for the plaintiffs," said prosecutor Håkan Roswall.

A further three men suspected of buying sex are set to be charged and the case concerns a total of nine young women, one of whom was only 14-years-old when she claims to have been sexually abused by Lindberg.

Göran Lindberg has been charged on 23 counts with, among other offences, an aggravated rape in Täby and Örebro in January and pimping between October 1st 2006 and September 31st 2009.

Lindberg has admitted to buying sex from some of the women but denies all other charges. The trial will begin on June 29th and will most likely be held behind closed doors.

The case against Lindberg has its origin in the investigation into a suspicious death in the suburb of Bredäng, in southern Stockholm, in July 2009 when a 60-year-old man mysteriously fell to his death from a balcony.

Lindberg's name unexpectedly turned up after police launched a preliminary investigation into the suspected murder.

During the investigation police confiscated a computer and a mobile phone which belonged to the deceased 60-year-old.

When investigators examined the contents of the machines and found the names of several men, their suspicions were aroused and they handed the matter over to the Stockholm County police force.