Finnish prosecutors contest acquittal of Auer and Ihle in sexual abuse case

Finland’s Prosecution Service has announced dissatisfaction with last week’s district court ruling that acquitted Anneli Auer and Jens Ihle of all sexual abuse charges, Yle reports.

Prosecutor General Ari-Pekka Koivisto stated on Tuesday that the office had filed a formal notice of dissatisfaction to allow time for a thorough review of the extensive verdict. The prosecution now has 30 days to decide whether to appeal the Turku District Court’s decision to the Court of Appeal.

“This is not a surprise,” said Markku Fredman, Auer’s defence attorney, when contacted by Yle. “Occasionally, more time is needed to examine a lengthy ruling.”

The district court dismissed all charges last Wednesday, ruling that earlier statements by Auer’s children were unreliable and contradicted other evidence. Prosecutors had argued the children’s accounts were credible.

Auer and Ihle were previously convicted in 2012 and 2013 for sexual and physical abuse of Auer’s children, with Auer sentenced to 7.5 years and Ihle to 10 years in prison. Both served half their sentences as first-time offenders before Finland’s Supreme Court overturned the convictions in 2024 following recanted testimony.

If prosecutors choose not to appeal, the acquittal becomes final, potentially entitling Auer and Ihle to state compensation for wrongful imprisonment. Auer previously received €800 per day in a separate case, suggesting possible payouts of around €1 million for Auer and €1.5 million for Ihle.

Defence attorney Fredman expressed optimism that the case would not proceed to appeal, noting the prosecution’s statement did not explicitly indicate an intent to challenge the ruling.