The Public Prosecution Service has demanded a 5-year prison sentence and TBS with conditions against a 34-year-old man from Waddinxveen suspected of sexual abuse involving 9 girls aged 10 to 16. The man allegedly incited the girls via Snapchat to commit indecent acts. Besides sexual abuse, the man is also suspected of producing, possessing, and acquiring child pornography.
The case began when, in December 2023, the father of one of the victims filed a police report. The girl had come into contact with a peer via Snapchat. She sent nude images to the man, believing she was in a relationship with him.
The girl was not the only victim. When the police traced the suspects home address via the IP address and seized his data carriers, they discovered various child pornography images. In total, 1,491 child pornographic images were found. After extensive investigation, 10 underage girls were identified and approached by the police through their parents. Nine girls filed reports. The suspect was arrested on March 25, 2024.
Modus Operandi
The suspect confessed and stated that he contacted the girls via Snapchat. He pretended to be a young boy, usually just two years older than the victims themselves. He first gained their trust by chatting pleasantly with the girls and saying sweet things. Some girls believed they were actually in a relationship. Once the suspect had gained their trust, he asked the girls to send sexually explicit photos and/or videos to him. He instructed the girls to perform indecent acts on themselves, record them, and send the footage to him. He then recorded the images using screen recording software. In some cases, the suspect also threatened to distribute photos of one of the victims on the internet.
Abuse
This case highlights a major societal problem, the online world where abuse of young children occurs, said the public prosecutor. It is a case where feelings of shame and guilt play a central role, and the suspect exploited the trust of young girls in a calculating manner.
Demand
Behavioral experts found that the suspect has an autism spectrum disorder and a depressive disorder. According to the Public Prosecution Service, it is important that the suspect undergoes treatment. In addition to a prison sentence, the Public Prosecution Service demands TBS with conditions. The court will give its verdict in two weeks.
