A boy who avoided criminal charges relating to a fatal stabbing in Helsinki last year was in fact old enough to be held criminally liable at the time, a report in Iltalehti has claimed (link in Finnish).
Police suspected three teenage boys of involvement in the killing of an 18-year-old man in Helsinki's Vallila district in October last year.
Two boys aged 16 at the time of the killing were sentenced to jail in February. The third boy, believed to be 14, was transferred into the care of social services as he was deemed to be too young to stand trial.
Individuals under 15 years of age are below the age of criminal liability according to Finnish law.
Forensic testing
According to Iltalehti, police re-arrested the third boy on Friday, after an unconnected report of disturbing behaviour.
Officers referred the boy for a forensic age assessment after doubts arose over his age.
Forensic age assessments determine a subject's age from a variety of sources including their teeth and the bones of the hand and wrist.
According to Iltalehti, the assessment found the boy was at least 16 years old.
Despite the new evidence, Helsinki District Court rejected a police request to remand the boy in custody.
Jukka Larkio, lead investigator in the Vallila stabbing case, refused to confirm Iltalehti's version of events, nor how police intend to proceed in the case.