Man sentenced to ten years for manslaughter of ex-partner in Helsinki

The Helsinki District Court has sentenced a middle-aged man to ten years and six months in prison for the murder of his ex-partner. The violent incident took place last November in the woman’s apartment in West Pasila, Helsinki. The court also ordered the man to pay thousands of euros in compensation for legal fees and emotional suffering, including a total of €30,000 to the couple’s children.

Initially classified as murder during the investigation, the charge was ultimately determined by the court to be manslaughter. The judgment was delivered on Wednesday, and it is not yet legally binding.

According to the prosecutor, the man exhibited extreme jealousy and continued to spend time with the woman, despite their divorce. The crime occurred in the evening after the children had gone to bed. The prosecutor stated that the man struck the woman seven times with two different knives, and the court found these blows to be lethal. The woman succumbed to her injuries quickly, despite attempts at resuscitation by a police patrol.

The man denied the murder charge but admitted to committing manslaughter and causing the victim’s death. He has undergone a mental health evaluation, and according to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), he was deemed capable of understanding the unlawfulness of his actions as well as their actual significance and consequences. Thus, he was considered to be of sound mind. Yle has chosen not to publish the name of the convicted individual to protect the victims.