The trial begins at Helsinki District Court today of a man accused of stabbing a child to death on Christmas Eve last year.
It happened in the city’s Arabianranta district, and the seven-year old was found dead at his family home after officers were called around midnight on 24th December.
The suspect was arrested at the scene.
According to neighbours, the boy lived there with his older sister, parents, and grandmother, and records show the 36-year old suspect had a home address in Espoo, and didn’t live at the apartment building where the boy was killed.
The man had a long history of criminal involvement, with a string of convictions for assault, theft and drink driving dating back to his teenage years. He also received a suspended prison sentence back in 2007 for assault.
The accused man has said that he experienced delusions which contributed to his actions, and the whole court case is being held without public access to protect the privacy of the family.
