Juha Turunen, a Finnish lawyer suspected of holding an heiress of the Herlin family hostage for more than a fortnight was cleared to stand trial on Friday.

The man was declared sane by a psychiatric examination.

The prosecutor is calling for a prison sentence of at least eight years.

The Herlins paid an eight-million-euro ransom to free the woman in May last year.

Pleading before the Helsinki district court for leniency, Mr Turunen repeated that he was guilty and that he realised that he had done the wrong thing.

The court is to deliver its verdict on 26 March.

The Herlin family own lift and escalator maker Kone.

STT