Supreme Court of Finland declines appeal of ice hockey player Severi Lahtinen in rape conviction

The Supreme Court of Finland has declined to review the appeal of ice hockey player Severi Lahtinen regarding his rape conviction. The Eastern Finland Court of Appeal sentenced Lahtinen to one year and ten months of unconditional imprisonment for the rape of a sleeping woman in Lahti.

The appellate court’s decision, now final, emphasized the seriousness of the crime, particularly as it occurred in the victim’s home. The woman did not know Lahtinen well and was not expecting him to enter her bedroom during the night. In October 2022, the Päijät-Häme District Court sentenced Lahtinen to two years in prison, but the Court of Appeal deemed this sentence excessively harsh compared to general legal precedents, reducing it by two months while maintaining the unconditional aspect of the sentence.

Additionally, the court ordered Lahtinen to pay the victim €9,000 in damages. At the time of the offense, Lahtinen was playing for JYP. The team terminated his contract in October 2022. The news of the Supreme Court’s decision was first reported by Keskisuomalainen.