A 33-year-old man was remanded in custody for four weeks on Tuesday, charged with particularly gross violence against a newborn baby in the Horsens area.
The man appeared at a preliminary hearing at the Court in Horsens on the afternoon of August 25, 2026. According to Avisen Danmark, the charge covers a long series of violent acts against the newborn child.
As read out in court by the prosecutor, the infant was allegedly shaken and subjected to blunt trauma. The charge also states that the child suffered a fracture of a lumbar vertebra and broke the sixth and seventh ribs.
Police say the violence took place from the child’s birth in mid-June 2026 until the man’s arrest on August 24. He was arrested on Sunday evening at 19:48, and the hearing followed the next day.
Because of the severity of the alleged acts and the child’s age, the man is charged under aggravated provisions of the Danish Penal Code. These cover particularly gross violence, assault of a particularly raw, brutal or dangerous character causing significant injury, and offenses committed under particularly aggravating circumstances.
Hearing held behind closed doors
The charge states that the violence occurred at two addresses, one in Horsens and one in the surrounding area. The man’s defense lawyer told the court that he denies the charges.
The prosecutor asked for the hearing to continue behind closed doors, citing the early stage of the investigation. She noted that several close family members, witnesses and caregivers of the infant still have to be questioned, and the judge granted the request.
The press and other members of the public were then asked to leave the courtroom. A name ban has also been imposed in the case, meaning the suspect cannot be publicly identified.
Two hours later, Sydøstjyllands Politi stated in a press release that the 33-year-old had been remanded in custody for four weeks. Police added that he reserved the right to appeal the court’s ruling.
Politiken reports that the police confirmed the remand through their Politi Update service. Politiken also notes that the man’s relationship to the child has not been made public by police or the court.
Ahead of the hearing, the prosecution service at Sydøstjyllands Politi issued a notice stating that a 33-year-old man from Horsens Municipality was charged with qualified violence against a child. As summarized by Ekstra Bladet, the notice said the prosecution intended to request closed doors and would not comment further before the hearing.
