The Public Prosecution Service today demanded a prison sentence of 6 years and compulsory treatment for a 23-year-old man from Middelburg for the online sexual abuse of 9 minors.
The prosecution has prosecuted the suspect for producing and possessing child pornography, molestation, indecency, and enticing (minor) girls and boys to engage in sexual acts via the internet. The investigation, called Austria, is a very large online abuse case involving minors.
The case began in the spring of 2023 when a father saw recordings of his 12-year-old daughter. He reported it to the police and filed a complaint about the digital abuse of his daughter by someone named Emma. The so-called sextortion, obtaining sexually explicit images of a victim and then extorting that victim for more material, had been ongoing for months.
Extensive Sextortion Case
The police discovered a link to another report of a similar incident also involving the username Emma in the country, leading to the identification of the man from Middelburg. In June 2023, the suspects home was searched, and the police seized his phones, computer, and other data carriers.
Investigations revealed that the man had stored thousands of sexually explicit photos and videos between February 2023 and June 2023 and had created many more sextortion victims. This all occurred between February 2023 and June 2023. The suspect was arrested in November 2023 and remains in custody.
A total of 297 individuals could not be identified from all chats. Only 23 minor victims, 22 girls and 1 boy, could be identified. Together with the first two complaints, 25 cases were examined. Not all victims filed complaints, and not every case could be sufficiently proven. In 9 of them, this was indeed the case, and they could be recognized as victims in this case.
Methodology
The suspects methodology was almost always the same. Under false names like Emma and Emmatje, he contacted his victims through the online platform Snapchat. Once in conversation, he gained their trust and asked for (nude) photos. And as soon as the youth sent those, the suspect demanded more material. He specified how the victims should behave in front of the camera. The man threatened to spread the photos online if the victims did not comply with his requests. He also threatened to harm their families.
In some cases, girls were forced to perform extreme sexual acts on themselves. And from one victim, the suspect demanded that she record videos while performing sexual acts with her brother.
Suicidal Thoughts
“The enormous impact of his actions cannot be described in words. We have seen this in the file and heard it in this session,” said the public prosecutor. “He drove them to despair, and even when they expressed suicidal thoughts, he did not stop. I find it unbelievable that you dare to play with peoples lives like that.” According to experts, the suspect has various disorders and requires long-term treatment to prevent recidivism.
The prosecutor stated: “Although the suspect is relatively young and has a clean criminal record, the Public Prosecution Service believes that only a lengthy prison sentence with long-term supervision is appropriate and sees no possibility for treatment with conditions. These are serious offenses that have caused significant harm. The suspect has created many victims, and the risk of recidivism is high,” the prosecutor explained.
Breaking the Taboo
“At many kitchen tables, parents have talked to their children about the online dangers of sharing sexually explicit material (with strangers) on the internet. Very wise of parents to do so in this digital age. And very important for children to know that they can talk to their parents about such an important topic,” the public prosecutor noted on Thursday. “Hopefully, the victims of such offenses realize that they are victims and do not need to feel ashamed.”
Support Services
Many teenagers have sexual experiences via the internet; this is the new reality. It is therefore important that teenagers are informed about ‘grooming’, ‘sexting’, ‘sextortion’, and the risks of the internet. For instance, being forced to engage in sexual acts, whether recorded or not, and being blackmailed with the exposure of material. Young or old, you are the boss of your own body.
For information about sextortion and tips on how to prevent it, you can visit the website of the police. If you have questions about victim support or are concerned about your childs internet behavior, you can contact Victim Support Netherlands or Center for Sexual Violence. The websites of the Child Helpline and the GGD also provide an (online) platform where you can ask questions (anonymously).
The Public Prosecution Service and the police want to emphasize, in collaboration with youth care organizations, parents, family members, schools, sports clubs, and youth workers, that it is crucial to talk to children about the dangers of abuse via social media (Snapchat, Instagram, etc.). For more information about youth and the use of social media and media education, see the website of the Netherlands Youth Institute. Thoughts of suicide? Contact 113.nl.
The judge will deliver a ruling in this case on March 6.