The three year and one month prison sentence of the other defendant, Josef Andrei Hannu (25), was upheld by the court.

The Helsinki Court of Appeal on Wednesday overturned the prison sentence handed down to a 25-year-old woman for plotting a massacre at the University of Helsinki, after ruling her incompetent to stand trial.

The pair were on trial for plotting to kill dozens of people with firearms and toxic gases at the University of Helsinki last year.

A psychological evaluation was conducted on the female defendant during the court proceedings, with mental health experts concluding that she was capable of understanding the significance of her actions at the time of the offence but that her ability to control her actions was notably impaired due to a mental illness.

The Helsinki Court of Appeal therefore overturned her sentence. She has instead been sent to compulsory treatment as per to an expert statement issued by the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

The District Court of Helsinki had sentenced the woman to three years' imprisonment.

The prosecution had demanded that the Helsinki Court of Appeal increase the punishments of both defendants. The defendants, in turn, had demanded that they be acquitted of charges or that their punishments be reduced, arguing that their plot lacked structure and details and would have been impossible to carry out.

They also reiterated that they had no intention of carrying out the massacre.

The Helsinki Court of Appeal, however, found the two defendants guilty of preparation of an aggravated offence against the life and health of others. The materials confiscated from the defendants were according to the court suitable for carrying out the plot. In addition, the court called attention to the level of detail of the plot and to the fact that neither defendant had abandoned the plot before being nabbed by law enforcement officers.

Lasse Kerkelä – HS

Aleksi Teivainen – HT

© HELSINGIN SANOMAT