New trial begins over Anneli Auer’s sexual and violent crime charges. Photo: Roni Lehti / Str / Lehtikuva
- Next Article Most compost units pass checks in Helsinki region, but 1 in 10 needs fixing
Anneli Auer and her former partner Jens Kukka are once again on trial at the District Court of Southwest Finland, accused of multiple serious sexual offences allegedly committed between 2007 and 2009.
The retrial follows a Supreme Court ruling in December 2024 that annulled the pair’s previous convictions, citing that Auer’s now adult children had withdrawn their original allegations and claimed the statements were made under pressure from foster carers.
The indictment includes 20 charges, among them aggravated child sexual abuse, aggravated rape, coercion into sexual acts, and aggravated assault. According to prosecutors, Auer and Kukka engaged in prolonged and systematic abuse of Auer’s children while they were living together.
Auer was previously sentenced to seven and a half years in prison and Kukka to ten years. Both have served their sentences. Despite this, prosecutors decided to reinstate the charges, stating that the gravity of the alleged crimes justified a full retrial. No changes have been requested to the length of the original sentences.
The new proceedings began with a preparatory hearing in Turku, where key procedural decisions were addressed, including the question of public access. The court ruled that the charges and indictments are public, although defence responses remain confidential for now.
The children, now adults, had requested the right to speak in court and formally seek dismissal of the charges. The court denied that request, stating that individuals without legal claims in a criminal case are treated only as witnesses. Their legal representative, Hanna Söderlund, criticised the decision, arguing that the children’s legal protection must not be left solely in the hands of the defence lawyers.
“The statements given as children were fabricated,” Söderlund said, referring to the original testimony that led to the 2013 convictions.
Court documents outline detailed descriptions of the alleged acts. The charges include repeated sexual abuse of Auer’s daughter by Kukka, some of which allegedly took place in the presence of other siblings. Other accusations involve Auer allegedly restraining her children while Kukka performed sexual acts, and in one case, using a knife to inflict injuries.
Prosecutors argue that the evidence still supports the charges, regardless of the children’s retractions. Their case rests on a combination of expert reports, medical photographs, psychiatric evaluations, and witness testimony, including that of former foster parents, correctional officers, and relatives of Kukka. Among the materials submitted is a 26-page file recovered from Kukka’s computer containing illegal content related to child sexual abuse. The court documents do not specify whether the material involves Auer’s children.
The retrial will also examine the validity of the original testimonies through forensic psychiatric evaluations conducted in 2011, and a more recent 2023 report from the Turku University Hospital. This later report explores the reasons for the changes in the children’s accounts and reassesses the credibility of their initial statements.
According to the prosecution, the children began describing the abuse shortly after being placed in foster care following the 2006 murder of Auer’s husband, Jukka S. Lahti, a separate case for which Auer was previously accused and later acquitted. The children alleged that the abuse by Auer and Kukka had occurred both before and after Lahti’s death.
During the new proceedings, a prison guard is expected to testify that Auer attempted to influence her daughter’s statement while in custody. Relatives of Kukka will also appear as witnesses, some of whom are expected to speak about his alleged violent behaviour and knowledge of abuse.
Despite the gravity of the charges, Auer and Kukka have maintained their innocence throughout and requested that the trial be as public as possible, citing the long-standing impact the allegations have had on their reputations.
“The cleansing of one’s name is not a matter for criminal court,” the presiding judge said, responding to the request. “Our duty is to assess the charges and issue a ruling.”
Auer and Kukka’s legal representatives did not comment on the case during the initial hearing. Defence lawyer Markku Fredman expressed disappointment over the decision to keep the defence responses sealed while the prosecution’s indictment was made public.
“This is a bleak situation. In criminal proceedings, we usually operate under the principle of equality. Now the court has ruled that the indictment is public but the defence replies are confidential. That doesn’t sound good,” Fredman said.
The court stated it aims to make as many documents public as possible, in line with the wishes of Auer’s children. However, because the case involves sensitive information about other individuals, decisions on document transparency will be made during the main proceedings.
The main trial is scheduled to begin in October and is expected to last for several months.
HT
- Next Article Most compost units pass checks in Helsinki region, but 1 in 10 needs fixing
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
