Trial of three teenagers accused of murdering a 16-year-old boy in the Koskela area of Helsinki began last December in the Helsinki District Court.
The three defendants also charge other charges, including nine assaults and one robbery charge.
All three deny the charge of murder. However, two defendants pleaded guilty to assault and unintentional unintentional killing, while a third pleaded guilty to assault only.
A fourth teenager is also charged with robbery.
According to the prosecutor, the three teenagers attacked the victim for up to four hours on the evening of December 4 in the vicinity of Koskela Hospital. The defendants used several different tools during the violent attack, the prosecutor added, and the victim suffered serious injuries throughout his body.
"It’s useless [for the defendants] argues that there was no intention to commit violence when the intention is clear from the evidence," prosecutor Satu Pomoell told the court.
The builders found the victim’s body on Monday morning, December 7th.
“Ruthlessness, Cruelty and Torture”
A preliminary police investigation found that three teenagers had suffered extreme bullying for a long time, including three separate violent assaults until his death.
Special Prosecutor Yrjö Reenilä told the court that the case was one of the most appalling in his prosecution career.
"Ruthlessness, cruelty and torture are evident here," Reenilä said.
Prosecutor Pomoell also asked the court to order three defendants for psychological evaluation.
A sentence for murder can usually be sentenced to life imprisonment in Finland, but since all the defendants in the case were minors at the time of the crime, they cannot be sentenced to life imprisonment if they are found guilty.
According to Finnish law, minors convicted of murder can be sentenced to 2-12 years in prison.