Wednesday, 28 May 2014 - 14:47
Serial child sex offender: 10 years possible
In the sexual delinquency case against 49-year old Frank R. from Cuijk, the court has demanded a sentence of ten years, as well as involuntary commitment to psychiatric treatment against him, on Wednesday during the hearing in Assen.
According to the Public Prosecution Authority (OM), R. consciously abused hundreds of underage girls, and encouraged them to perform sexual acts via the internet or physical sex with him, which "was often extreme, and became more extreme."
According to the public prosecutor, R. was consciously looking for vulnerable girls over several years. "He knew that this was a crime, but could not stop himself: the impulse was too large." Because it was discovered that Frank R. specifically sought out young vulnerable girls on which to express his fantasy of dominant, extreme sex, a maximum form of psychiatric treatment has been demanded against him.
The court case began this morning at 10:15 a.m., with the gruesome stories of his victims. According to sources from Omroep Brabant, Frank R. himself sat quietly, looking stoically ahead of himself.
Frank R. is also suspected of rape, seduction, licentiousness with minors, overpowering a minor and making as well as possession of child pornography.
Most girls that R. abused were seduced into performing sexual acts via webcam, but in at least 11 cases, there was physical contact. Several victims have asked for damage compensation, some amounts reached €10,000. These are victims who have spoken out, though there are some who have not done so.
Frank R.'s lawyer, Tjalling van der Groot, spoke at around 12 p.m. According to a source from Omroep Brabant, Van der Groot said that the OM was giving distorted information. He said that the foundation for the ten year sentence was missing. "Why ten, why not four or 15", he asked himself. He also mentioned a case similar to that of R.'s, for which that suspect got four years. Van der Groot pleaded for four years jail time, and involuntary commitment with conditions.
According to Hart Van Nederland, none of the four Forensic Psychiatric Clinics want to admit R. The Clinic in Assen is reportedly contesting it because Frank R.'s condition is "too complex".
This case has been given four days. Last week Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday and Thursday, Frank R.'s 21 counts of sexual offense committed were internally discussed. On Friday, experts spoke, and some victims gave statements behind closed doors. Today, R.'s lawyer and the Department of Justice have the floor.
According to the behavioral experts, who addressed the court on Friday, Frank R. is a loner and is "socially incompetent". He has difficulty with personal contact and seeing things from other peoples' perspectives.
R. himself said that his perversities became a "sort of addiction". He admits to having filmed the "rough sex" he had with these girls, many of whom were around the age of 12 or 13. R. is currently in prison De Marwei in Leeuwarden, awaiting his sentence.