Former Sabaton guitarist jailed after being convicted of child sex abuse and possessing child pornography

Rikard Sundén, the founding guitarist of Sabaton, was sentenced to nine months in prison for molesting his

daughter’s eight-year-old friend in his Falun, Sweden, home in February 2020. Sundén performed with the band

from 1999 to 2012.

father of three Sundén, 39, was found guilty of one act of child sexual abuse and six counts of possessing child

pornography. He was sentenced to nine months in prison and had to pay damages of SEK 53,400 (about £4,550).

Official court records state that on February 14, 2020, after she had watched the Melodifestivalen, a competition to

choose Sweden’s entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, Sundén, who had since legally changed his name to Johan

Andersson, mistreated the girl.

The musician refuted the accusation and attempted to place the responsibility on his daughter, suggesting that she

might have inadvertently touched her friend while she was asleep.

When Sundén was arrested, six films depicting minors engaging in sexual actions had been discovered in the

confiscation of two laptops and a mobile phone. According to the court records, “The crime should be considered

serious as the films depict children who have been exploited in otherwise particularly ruthless ways and who are

particularly exposed to serious sexual coercion and violence.” Johan Andersson Rikard Sundén intentionally carried

out the deed.

As stated in the court documents, Sundén has now separated from his 18-year spouse. “He has also changed his

name to protect his children in case he is convicted; he does not want them to lose their friends,” the documents

state. He is not interested in having sex with kids.