A far-right Swedish MEP was sentenced on appeal for sexual assault against a member of his Swedish Democrats (SD) party, Swedish justice announced on Monday. Acquitted last year at first instance, 58-year-old Peter Lundgren was finally sentenced to a 60-day fine after the prosecution "
presented more evidence
" to the Göta Court of Appeal, in the south of the country. Sweden. Based on the investigation, the court concluded that there was "
no reasonable doubt
" that "
the MEP touched the complainant's breasts and that this was done against her will
" , announced justice in a press release.
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This SD elected to the European Parliament since 2014 was notably accused of having in March 2018 violated the "
sexual integrity
" of his victim "
by putting his hands under his sweater and bra and placing his hands on his chest
”, according to the indictment.
He could face up to two years in prison.
The affair erupted in May 2019, when Kristina Winberg, at the time MEP under the SD banner, alerted the party leaders of the acts committed by Peter Lundgren on another parliamentarian.
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According to the Swedish press, this resulted in her being removed from the party list for the following European elections.
The Swedish Democrats had justified the decision by its "
reprehensible and reckless behavior towards both colleagues and staff
" of the party.
In 2014, Peter Lundgren became one of the first two elected representatives of the Sweden Democrats in the European Parliament.
He was renewed at the end of the 2019 ballot.