A Norwegian court has extended the detention of doctor Arne Bye until his appeal hearing begins in November. The 56-year-old physician has been jailed since February after receiving a 21-year prison sentence.
Bye was convicted of raping 70 patients and 82 counts of professional misconduct. The Frostating Court of Appeal will hear 18 charges when the case resumes on November 26.
District Court Judge Eirik Lereim ruled that strong evidence supports Bye's conviction. He noted that only a small portion of the original charges will be reviewed during the appeal process.
Last week brought additional legal troubles for the doctor. Police filed new charges alleging 33 additional rape incidents involving 16 different victims. These investigations began in December.
Bye has appealed the scope of his appeal case to Norway's Supreme Court. The recent detention extension was decided without the parties present in what's known as an office proceeding.
This case represents one of Norway's most extensive medical abuse prosecutions. The repeated extensions and new charges suggest investigators continue uncovering evidence against the physician.
What happens when the appeal begins in November? The court will determine whether to uphold or modify the original 21-year sentence while considering the substantial evidence already presented.