Swedish police chief jailed for sex crimes

A FORMER Swedish police chief known for his lectures on gender equality and sexual harassment was convicted yesterday of rape and other sex crimes and sent to prison.

In a case that shocked conservative Sweden, the court found Goran Lindberg, 64, guilty of "sadistic, sexual violence" for tying one of his victims to a bed before raping her.

The Sodertorn District Court convicted Lindberg of more than a dozen sex offences, including aggravated rape and buying sexual favours. He was sentenced to six and a half years in prison and ordered to pay 25,000 in damages to three of the victims.

Lindberg was police chief in the Swedish city of Uppsala from 1997 to 2006. He also headed Sweden's national police academy. As a police commissioner he travelled around Sweden and lectured, often in uniform, to companies and organisations.

He denied all charges, except a few cases of buying sex.

The Swedish justice minister, Beatrice Ask, has expressed national disgust over the case.