Man faces psych prison for stalking Drenthe girl since age 9

The Public Prosecutor demanded institutionalized psychiatric treatment against a 34-year-old man from Zwolle who is accused of stalking an underage girl from Drenthe for eight years. This is the fourth time that the man is on trial for stalking the now 17-year-old girl from Drenthe the village of Zuidlaren, RTV Drenthe reports.

The suspect met the girl's family at a campsite near Hardenberg in 2011. There he fell in love with the then 9-year-old girl, the man told the court in Assen no Thursday. He had swum with her and her sister and he was mentally and physically drawn to her, he said. He was going to "wait 20 years for her", due to her age.

Since that first meeting in 2011, the girl's family has been unable to get rid of the man. He sent the girl letters, messages, called her, wrote about her on Facebook, and once showed up at her school. The family has been living in fear for years, worried that he would turn violent. The girl is not allowed to go anywhere by herself and always has to carry her panic button, with which she can alert the police.

The Zwolle man has been convicted of stalking the girl three times. He spent time in jail, was forcibly admitted to a psychiatric clinic, and had a restraining order issued against him. All to no avail.

The suspect suffers from schizophrenia and has a drinking problem. During the trial, a psychologist said that he is unaccountable and recommended that he be admitted to a psychiatric hospital for at least a year. The court will rule in two weeks.