Two men sentenced to 3.5 years for aggravated robbery in Vaasa, Finland

Two men have received prison sentences from a district court in Finland for aggravated robbery and unlawful restraint. Marco Micael Metsola and Jouni Sebastian Snellman were each sentenced to 3.5 years in prison. The incident involved a victim traveling from Pietarsaari to Vaasa in July with the intention of purchasing drugs.

Upon the victim’s arrival at an agreed location in Vaasa, the defendants immediately confiscated his mobile phone. The victim had planned to pay for the drugs using a laptop he had with him, which was worth more than the drugs, and he expected to receive some cash back. However, the two men unexpectedly began demanding thousands of euros from the victim.

Acting violently, they subjected him to various forms of brutal and humiliating treatment. The victim was restrained for approximately ten hours, during which he was threatened and physically harmed. They eventually released him after this period, but the police soon located the victim and provided him with medical assistance.

The court condemned the methods employed as degrading and damaging to the victim’s dignity, noting that he sustained several serious injuries from the ordeal. Both defendants received the same sentence, although it was noted that Snellman played a more prominent role in the crime. Metsola’s sentence was lengthened due to prior convictions for similar offenses.

In addition to their prison terms, the court ordered both men to compensate the victim with €8,500 for pain, suffering, and lasting cosmetic damage, along with €1,900 for stolen property and damaged clothing.