The criminal trial of a teenager who stands accused of fatally stabbing a 24-year-old man last April at the capital's central railway station began at Helsinki District Court on Thursday.
The prosecution has demanded that the 16-year-old — who faces a young offender manslaughter charge — serve a mandatory prison sentence for the crime.
The prosecutor told the court that the defendant and victim, who did not know each other previously, first met at the train station and then agreed to move towards the Kaisaniemi Park to fight. The defendant asked another individual for a multi-tool pocket knife which he then put into his pocket, according to the prosecutor.
The stabbing took place by tracks 1 and 2, next to the station's exit to the park. During a struggle, the defendant and victim clung to each other until the victim was stabbed in the side of his body, the prosecutor said.
The pair continued to fight, kicking and hitting each other until the defendant fled the scene and the victim fell to the ground. Attempts were made to resuscitate the victim, but he died at the scene.
The young defendant denied the manslaughter charge.
In his defence, the accused claimed that the victim was initially behaving in a threatening manner and said he was frightened that the victim and a companion had a knife.
The defendant said that he raised the pocket knife to merely intimidate the victim and did not notice that he actually cut him.
However, the defendant did not outright deny the course of events and admitted that the violent beating was an exaggerated response of self defence.