THE FESTIVE ATMOSPHEREin the Helsinki neighbourhood of Arabianranta was visibly subdued on Tuesday, as residents mourned the death of a local child who is believed to have been murdered.

While little information has been released to the public, it is known that the victim was murdered near their home on the night of Christmas Eve (December 24). The police apprehended a suspect at the scene of the crime, who has been confirmed as a 36-year old male. Whether the suspect was known to the victim has yet to be determined.

New data collectedby the police suggests that sex crimes, including sexual harassment, rape and sexual abuse of minors, are on the rise in Finland. According to apress release, authorities registered nearly 2,500 cases of sex crimes between January and June 2021—a 25 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

Helsingin Sanomatreports that Helsinki police received a whopping 60 per cent more reports of sexual offences in the first half of this year compared to last year. Sexual harassment made up the majority of the reported offences. 

A 20-year-old man from Central Finland is suspected of sexually exploiting hundreds of children by posing as a primary school student on social media. While 53 victims have been identified so far, police believe the actual figure is closer to 200.  

The Central Finland Police department is currently investigating the case. Authorities uncovered around 2,000 explicit videos of children on multiple devices when searching the suspect’s home. The youngest victim is reportedly 8 years old. 

THE TRIAL OF A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALScharged with serious drug offences has begun at the Pirkanmaa District Court in Tampere today.

This most well-known of the accused, Jori Lehterä, will also be standing trial, attracting significant media attention to the court proceedings.

The trial consists of 20 defendants in total, who stand accused of a laundry list of crimes ranging from minor drug possession to the trafficking of large quantities of cocaine. 

THE CENTRAL FINLAND POLICE DEPARTMENThas released a bulletin detailing that a man and a woman have been hospitalised following a serious assault in Hervanta, a suburb of Tampere.

The incident occurred late on Monday evening and it is known that the two victims were both targeted and attacked by the same individual. It is unclear whether or not the attacker was known to either of the victims. It is also unclear whether the two victims are known to each other.