Court cuts former coast guard’s sentence for selling police information

Helsinki Court of Appeal has reduced the prison sentence of a former coast guard convicted of selling police information to a drug criminal, Yle reports.

The man, who worked for the Finnish Border Guard, had access to the Border Guard’s, police and Customs systems.

Helsinki District Court sentenced the 52-year-old in August 2024 to two and a half years in prison for breaching official secrecy, aggravated service offence, aggravated acceptance of a bribe, aggravated firearms offence and a drug use offence.

The offences took place in 2020 and 2021. According to the court, the man searched the systems at the request of a drug criminal for information including crime suspicions and ongoing criminal investigations. The charges said he received at least 1,800 euros in payment.

The man acknowledged breaching official secrecy but argued that the service offence and acceptance of a bribe should be considered less serious. He also said he had not disclosed documents or information that were confidential during his employment.

The Court of Appeal dismissed the charge of drug use. The prosecutor withdrew the sentencing demand for that offence because it had become time-barred before the summons was served.

The court reduced Jim Markku Koskenmäki’s sentence to one year and 11 months. It issued its ruling on Thursday.