Jens Ihle seeks record €2 million compensation for wrongful imprisonment
Jens Ihle (formerly Jens Kukka) has filed a historic compensation claim against the State Treasury, demanding over two million euros for wrongful imprisonment. If approved, this would be the largest koppikorvaus (compensation for loss of liberty) ever awarded in Finland.
Ihle is seeking 2,098,300 euros for suffering caused by his detention, along with 26,018 euros for additional expenses and 3,751 euros in application costs (Iltalehti). The portion of his claim related to lost income and pension benefits has been redacted in the documents provided to media. Yle reports that the total demand exceeds two million euros, making it the highest such claim in Finnish legal history—surpassing even the compensation sought by his former partner, Anneli Auer.
Auer, who was also acquitted alongside Ihle, has filed her own claim, demanding 1.3 million euros for nearly four years of wrongful imprisonment (Yle, Iltalehti). The previous record for koppikorvaus in Finland was approximately 520,000 euros, awarded in 2013 to a man wrongfully convicted of murder in Äänekoski (Iltalehti).
Legal background and acquittal
Ihle was detained in September 2011 and remained in custody until April 2016, followed by four months of probationary leave before his parole. The District Court of Southwest Finland acquitted both Ihle and Auer of all sexual offense charges in April 2026, with the Prosecutor General choosing not to appeal the decision (Yle). However, the prosecutor did appeal to the Court of Appeal regarding dismissed assault convictions and attorneys' fees (Yle).
The case dates back to 2013, when both were convicted by the District Court of Southwest Finland and later by the Turku Court of Appeal for aggravated sexual abuse and assault of Auer’s children between 2007 and 2009. Auer received a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence, while Ihle was sentenced to 10 years (Iltalehti). In December 2024, the Supreme Court overturned the convictions, leading to a retrial. The new proceedings concluded in April 2026 with a full acquittal (Iltalehti).