Swedish businessman found guilty of raping domestic helper in his Hong Kong home

So told the court the defendant’s behaviour had changed “all of a sudden” after his family fell apart.

He said the defendant, a “successful businessman” with only one drink-driving conviction about 10 years ago before the rape case, had acted “out of his character” after the departure of his wife and children.

“There must be something going on that transpired to his life,” the lawyer said.

He told the court that the defendant had also committed four other offences after the rape. Ekstrom was found guilty of criminally damaging property in a hospital and in a police vehicle in incidents that occurred after he was found walking naked in public, So said.

The defendant was also involved in a car crash and made a false report of burglary to police when he was suffering from the mental disorder, he said.

The defence counsel called on the court to take the defendant’s mental state at the time of the offence into consideration when handing down the sentence.

During the trial, the helper, of Nepalese descent, said Ekstrom came home drunk on the day of the attack after he learned his wife and children had left him.

According to prosecutor Diane Crebbin, the defendant dragged the helper into his bedroom while saying “I love you, I want you” and threatened to kill her if she did not comply with his demand for sex.

But Ekstrom said in his defence the helper had initiated sex with him that night to offer him “comfort”.

He also claimed they had consensual sex twice in July and that the helper had asked him to repay a debt she had incurred.

While So applied for bail to be extended to Ekstrom, Crebbin strongly objected and told the court the defendant’s now ex-wife, who had returned to the city, was afraid of him.

Recorder Derek Chan Ching-lung, who presided over the trial, rejected the defence’s application for bail and said the defendant should be remanded in custody as he would presumably be facing a “lengthy” sentence.

Chan also ordered the prosecution to prepare a victim impact report for the court to consider in sentencing.

Ekstrom will be sentenced on November 11.