Three-year prison sentence in Porvoo arson case

Defence lawyer: Defendant labelled for life

print this

Porvoo District Court handed down a prison sentence of more than three years in the Porvoo Cathedral arson case on Thursday afternoon.
      The court found 18-year-old Kalle Johan Ernesti Holm guilty of an act of destruction, and sentenced him to three years and two months in prison. Holm had admitted that he started the fire which burned the roof of the medieval church in late May.
      Two other defendants, a 19-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man were found guilty of a violation of rescue regulations. However, no punishment was meted out to them; the court found that the negative publicity, and the cooperation that the two had shown to be mitigating circumstances.
     
The prosecutor had called for a sentence of seven years in prison against Holm.
      Prosecutor Petri Vaaja noted during the trial that in addition to burning the roof of the church, the fire could have spread to the mainly wooden buildings of Porvoo’s Old Town, causing much more damage.
      The prosecution felt that the defendant was guilty of an "aggravated act of destruction", which brings a prison sentence of two to ten years. The defendant himself admits to an ordinary, but not aggravated act of destruction, for which the prison sentence can vary from four months to four years.
     
The focus of the proceedings on Wednesday was on whether or not the fire was deliberate, and if the damage that occurred might have been anticipated.
      "He had said that he would set fire to the church. He also had a handful of paper when he climbed toward the roof of the church. Holding the paper must certainly have made it more difficult to climb", prosecutor Vaaja said.
     
Defence lawyer Jouko Pelkonen pointed out that the 18-year-old had cooperated in the investigation. "The defendant had come of age just a month and a half before the act. He has suffered from unreasonable publicity, and will be labelled by the act for the rest of his life."
      The defence counsel of the two other defendants noted that the young people had acted quickly in clarifying the matter. The lawyers said that if they had not done so, getting at the truth of the matter could have been significantly delayed.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Porvoo arson trial begins; defendant told friends of intentions before fire (29.8.2006)
  Surge in fires in recent months (16.6.2006)
  Three young people come forward and admit lighting Porvoo Cathedral fire (1.6.2006)
  Cathedral fire: Police have "strong suspicions" against suspects (31.5.2006)

Helsingin Sanomat