Childlike sex dolls are a violation of Norwegian law, the Supreme Court has ruled in a landmark test case.

Five judges decided unanimously it was “beyond doubt” that a 100cm long silicone model amounted to the sexualisation of children.

The doll was seized by customs officers at Oslo Airport in 2016 after it was ordered online from Hong Kong.

It had three body openings and was supplied with accessories such as a wig, one set of extra eyes, a tube of jelly and washing equipment.

Prosecutors charged a man with an offence under section 311 of the criminal code, which bans importation of depictions which sexualise children.

Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Show all 20 1 /20 Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Workers assemble sex dolls at the WMDOLL factory in China Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Various doll heads covered with dust bags on shelves at the WMDOLL factory Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory A worker stands in an elevator with sex dolls Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Sex dolls hang from racks in the warehouse Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Parts of sex dolls on operating platforms waiting to be checked Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory A worker holds a doll's head to cool it down in front of a fan Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Employees work at the WMDOLL factory in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, China Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Workers check the circuits of a sex doll called Lucy Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory A worker attaches a nail to a sex doll's finger Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Workers hang a sex doll in the warehouse Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory A worker assembles a sex doll Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Different moulds for making dolls in a workshop Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory A worker takes a photo of a sex doll Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory A male sex doll hangs in the warehouse Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Three sex dolls, all called Lucy, have their moving parts controlled by remote control Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory A worker prepares a sex doll for a photo shoot Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Metal skeletons for sex dolls Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Sex doll heads Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory Sex dolls with different shapes and skin colours hang in a warehouse Reuters Inside a Chinese AI sex doll factory A worker assembles a sex doll Reuters

He was convicted and sentenced to a suspended 60-day prison sentence by the East Finnmark District Court on 23 April 2018.

In his appeal to the supreme court the convicted man, who is not identified in the ruling, argued that the doll should not be considered sexualisation of children.

However in the ruling, judge Cecilie Østensen Berglund​ said the doll appeared to be a child “far below 18 years old” and had “such distinctive features that it implies sexualization of children”.

The judge also rejected his claim that the doll “can be a sufficient substitute to prevent real abuse” by pointing out that the legislature had decided it was punishable to depict a child as a sexual object.

Norwegian police have raised concerns about the increase in orders of lifelike sex dolls from Hong Kong. The force said those purchasing the dolls could pose a risk of committing further abuses against children.

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Possession of the dolls is not illegal in the UK but in 2017 two men were convicted of a law banning the importation of ”indecent or obscene articles”.