A Finnish father stands accused of long-term domestic violence against his wife and children. The abuse occurred in family homes in Nurmijärvi and Kotka, two municipalities in southern Finland. The violence began in the previous decade and continued until last year.
Court documents reveal the abuse started when his eldest son was just two years old. It continued until the boy turned 13. The father allegedly dragged his son by the hair, calling them "memory strings."
When the child was 3-4 years old, his father covered his face with a blanket to silence him. The man claimed his son could breathe through his ears. At age seven, the father began slapping the boy's head and buttocks with an open hand.
The situation escalated dramatically last summer. While intoxicated, the father threatened to dismember his children with a chainsaw in their home yard. He then attacked the front door with an axe when family members locked themselves inside.
Later that same summer, the father threw his 13-year-old son to the ground and kicked him while threatening to kill everyone present with an axe. The man admits being in a "fit of rage" during this incident.
Prosecutors are seeking an unconditional prison sentence for aggravated assault against his son, basic assaults against his other children and wife, and illegal threats. The father partially denies the accusations.
He admits to attacking the front door with an axe while drunk. He also acknowledges slapping his son once on the cheek and once hard on the buttocks. The father admits frequently threatening his son with hair-pulling but denies acting on those threats.
Regarding covering his son's face with a blanket, the father claims it was brief and the child could breathe through his nose. He stated the child "screamed so damn much" and he couldn't quiet him otherwise.
The man has confessed to assaults against his other children as described. Court documents indicate he forced his 4-5-year-old daughter into a cramped closet.
In his written response to the court, the father suggested his mental state should be examined. The court will deliver its verdict at a later date.
This case reveals disturbing patterns of family violence that continued for over a decade before intervention. The detailed court documents provide rare insight into how domestic abuse can escalate over time within a household.