Coach convicted of child sexual abuse in Rovaniemi

The Rovaniemi Court of Appeal has convicted a man who once coached the Kajaani Haka football team for sexually abusing a child. According to the ruling, the man, in his twenties, engaged in sexual conversations and sent sexually charged messages to a child under 16 in 2022. Their interactions occurred while he was acting in his capacity as a coach, with some inappropriate discussions arising during football practice.

The court sentenced the man to five months of probation. Initially, the district court dismissed the charges. The case came to light in 2022 when Kajaani Haka reported concerns about the misconduct of one of its coaches and suspended him pending further investigation. The matter progressed to the Kainuu District Court in 2023, where he faced charges related to the sexual exploitation of the under-16 victim and attempts to exploit another young person under 18. However, all charges were dismissed. The district court found no evidence supporting the allegations concerning the under-18 victim. Regarding the under-16 child, the court stated there was no intentional exploitation, as the man claimed he was unaware of the victim’s age.

Despite the lack of proven charges, the district court acknowledged that the man’s behavior was inappropriate given his role as a coach. Both the prosecutor and the minor victim appealed the district court’s decision to the court of appeal, which today overturned the previous judgment. Evidence, including the victim’s credible testimony and supporting documents, proved the man’s sexual communications. Unlike the district court, the court of appeal determined that the man was aware he was communicating with a child under 16, constituting a deliberate crime. In addition to probation, he was ordered to pay the victim €1,200 in damages and cover several thousand euros in legal costs.