Tito Beltran found guilty of rape
Opera star Tito Beltran has been sentenced to two years in jail by Ystad District Court for the rape of an 18-year-old nanny in 1999.
In a unanimous verdict, the court also ordered Beltran, 42, to pay the woman 112,000 kronor ($17,000) in damages. Beltran's lawyer, Tomas Nilsson, said that his client will appeal the judgment.
The Swedish-Chilean singer was accused of raping the woman at his hotel room in Nötesjö after performing at a star-studded Rhapsody in Rock concert in southern Sweden.
The woman, who worked as a nanny for actress Maria Lundqvist, joined Beltran in his hotel room after the show. There the opera singer massaged her aching back.
The woman claims that Beltran, 42, then forced her onto his bed and proceeded to rape her.
But it was not until early last year that the incident was reported by former police officer Monica Dahlström-Lannes.
The involvement of Dahlström-Lannes in the subsequent investigation was a source of some controversy after it emerged that she had made contact with a number of witnesses.
No forensic evidence was presented in the case as proof that Beltran had raped the girl. Intead the case centred on the credibility of the witnesses and the alleged victim and perpetrator.
Maria Lundqvist and popular singer Carola Häqqkvist both testified on the girl's behalf, while Robert Wells, the musician behind the Rhapsody in Rock tour, said he found it very difficult to believe that Beltran was guilty as charged.
Wells also accused Monica Dahlström-Lannes of posing as a public prosecutor and saying that she planned to "frame" Beltran.
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In a unanimous verdict, the court also ordered Beltran, 42, to pay the woman 112,000 kronor ($17,000) in damages. Beltran's lawyer, Tomas Nilsson, said that his client will appeal the judgment.
The Swedish-Chilean singer was accused of raping the woman at his hotel room in Nötesjö after performing at a star-studded Rhapsody in Rock concert in southern Sweden.
The woman, who worked as a nanny for actress Maria Lundqvist, joined Beltran in his hotel room after the show. There the opera singer massaged her aching back.
The woman claims that Beltran, 42, then forced her onto his bed and proceeded to rape her.
But it was not until early last year that the incident was reported by former police officer Monica Dahlström-Lannes.
The involvement of Dahlström-Lannes in the subsequent investigation was a source of some controversy after it emerged that she had made contact with a number of witnesses.
No forensic evidence was presented in the case as proof that Beltran had raped the girl. Intead the case centred on the credibility of the witnesses and the alleged victim and perpetrator.
Maria Lundqvist and popular singer Carola Häqqkvist both testified on the girl's behalf, while Robert Wells, the musician behind the Rhapsody in Rock tour, said he found it very difficult to believe that Beltran was guilty as charged.
Wells also accused Monica Dahlström-Lannes of posing as a public prosecutor and saying that she planned to "frame" Beltran.
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