Man sentenced to over six years for stabbing stranger 13 times in Liperi

A district court in North Karelia has sentenced a 27-year-old man to six years and ten months in prison for the attempted murder of a stranger in Liperi town centre last summer.

The man, Kalle Antero Haapala, stabbed the victim 13 times in the back, neck, and shoulders during an unprovoked attack on a pedestrian path on a Monday evening in May 2025. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries and required emergency surgery to survive.

Haapala admitted to the stabbing but claimed it was an impulsive act committed while intoxicated, arguing he had no intent to kill. However, the court ruled the crime was aggravated due to its sudden and unprovoked nature. Witnesses reported Haapala told the victim, “Die, you bastard,” which the court cited as evidence of murderous intent. He was deemed criminally responsible at the time of the attack.

The court ordered Haapala to pay the victim €13,000 in compensation for pain, suffering, and temporary harm, and an additional €2,200 for permanent cosmetic damage. The verdict is not yet final and may be appealed to a higher court.