Pop star violence case: Famous musician convicted of aggravated assault at nightclub Arch
Copenhagen City Court sentences pop star to 60 days conditional imprisonment after glass-throwing in 2024
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Quick Facts
Who is the convicted pop star?
The convicted individual in the case is a prominent Danish musician, whose identity is protected by a name ban imposed by the Copenhagen City Court . The name ban was upheld to protect the defendant's privacy and career while the case is processed in the legal system. The musician has been a regular part of the Danish charts for several years and has performed on the country's biggest stages. Throughout the proceedings, the defendant has pleaded not guilty and has maintained through his lawyer, Henrik Stagetorn, that there was no intentional act directed at the involved victims.
What happened at the nightclub Arch?
The incident took place one night in May 2024 at the exclusive nightclub Arch, located on Nørregade in central Copenhagen. According to the indictment, a conflict arose in or near the DJ booth, which escalated quickly. The convicted pop star threw a drinking glass made of hard plastic in this context. The glass first hit a DJ in the face before continuing to strike both a sound technician and a bouncer. The injuries were so severe that the latter two had to be treated at Bispebjerg Hospital, where they received two and four stitches respectively for lacerations to the face. Although plastic glasses are often considered less dangerous than glass, the court assessed that the throw in this context constituted aggravated violence.
The investigation
The investigation of the case has involved interviews with several witnesses who were present at the nightclub that night. The police have reviewed surveillance footage from Arch to establish the sequence of events accurately. A central part of the investigation focused on whether the throw of the glass was a deliberate act aimed at the victims, or if it was the culmination of an overwhelming situation. The prosecution emphasized witness statements from staff who described aggressive behavior prior to the act of violence itself.
The trial and basis for the verdict
The case was conducted as a jury trial in the Copenhagen City Court. The prosecutor argued for a sentence of at least three months of unconditional imprisonment, referring to the nature of the aggravated violence and the injuries to the victims. The defense, led by Henrik Stagetorn, argued for acquittal or a milder sanction. The court chose to acquit the pop star of the charge of directly hitting the DJ but found it proven that he was guilty of aggravated violence by throwing the glass. The result was a sentence of 60 days of conditional imprisonment with the condition of 80 hours of community service. The sentence was immediately appealed to the High Court by the convicted individual.