Varsinais-Suomen käräjäoikeus, the district court of Southwest Finland, sentenced a 32-year-old man of foreign background to 70 days of suspended imprisonment for offering compensation for a sexual act targeting a young person and for a drug offence.[1] The man gave a 16-year-old 50 euros for sex and handed cannabis to the teenager in Turku.[1] The district court convicted him of those acts while dismissing an aggravated rape charge in the same case.[1]
The prosecutor sought punishment for events that took place in the summer of 2024.[1] The 16-year-old told the court of refusing sex at first and agreeing later after the man repeatedly asked for sex and linked the promised money to it.[1] The man denied forcing the young person, claimed he had paid for housework, and also denied giving the teenager cannabis.[1] After reviewing the accounts of both parties, their messages and a phone recording, the court found the evidence did not show that the man’s conduct had deprived the young person of the ability or freedom to decide on participating, leaving reasonable doubt on the aggravated rape charge.[1] However, the court found the housework explanation implausible, ruled that the messages and testimony showed the first 50-euro payment was compensation for sex, dismissed three other alleged counts of offering compensation for lack of evidence, and held that the handover of cannabis had been proven.[1]
The probation period for the 70-day suspended sentence runs until 4 November 2028.[1] The court ordered the man to pay the complainant 1,000 euros in compensation for suffering, with penalty interest starting from 4 July 2024, and dismissed the remaining compensation claims.[1] He was also ordered to pay the state an 80-euro victim surcharge, 25 euros in evidence costs, 849.96 euros toward his defence costs, and 1,506 euros with penalty interest for the complainant’s legal assistance.[1]