TV personality Dermot Clemenger, charged with 31 counts of purchasing sex, remains internationally wanted despite most charges being dropped. His lawyer argues for his release from detention in absentia, citing the reduced severity of remaining charges. However, the court has decided to maintain his detention.
Dermot Clemenger's Plea Denied as Sex Purchase Charges Diminish
Dermot Clemenger's Plea Denied as Sex Purchase Charges Diminish
Dermot Clemenger pleads through his lawyer to avoid being detained in absentia. However, the court has denied this request.
Dermot Clemenger was charged with 31 counts of purchasing sex and has been internationally wanted for some time. Now, only three charges remain after the TV personality evaded service.
Dermot, through his lawyer Magnus A Arntell, now pleads that he should no longer be detained in absentia.
Since most of the charges against Clemenger have been dropped, the lawyer argues that it is no longer proportionate to keep him detained in absentia.
"As a public defender, it is argued that a detention decision is an extremely intrusive sanction and coercive measure against an individual," states the document obtained by Expressen.
The lawyer suggests that any potential punishment should now be a suspended sentence and fines instead of imprisonment, and therefore Dermot Clemenger should not continue to be detained in absentia.
How the Sentence Could Be Affected
The penalty scale for purchasing sexual services includes imprisonment.
Prosecutor Per Svensson recently told Expressen that the length of the sentence could be affected by the dismissals.
– The more crimes, the higher the penalty value; the fewer crimes, the lower the penalty value. This means that as the crimes are dismissed, the penalty value decreases, and the length of the prison sentence that would be relevant becomes shorter.
However, the court does not agree with Dermot Clemenger and his lawyer's position and decided to re-detain the TV personality in absentia on Tuesday.