Amsterdam fashion boss acquitted on 6 rape charges; Guilty of sexually abusing 2 minors

The court in Amsterdam acquitted the former director of the Amsterdam fashion platform Moam, Martijn N. (36), of six charges of rape on young men and two rape attempts on Wednesday. The court did find N. guilty of two cases of indecent acts with minors and an assault. For that, it sentenced N. to 18 months in prison, of which eight months were conditionally suspended.

The court had to judge the six reports of rape and the two attempts against the rules that applied before July 1 of this year, when the new Sexual Offences Act came into effect.

Until that date, the criteria for proving rape - such as violence, threats of violence, or coercion - were much stricter than they are now. According to the court, the evidence regarding this criteria was insufficient. The accusations date from 2011-2021.

N. was a prominent figure in the Amsterdam fashion world. He became the subject of controversy in 2021 after 28 men accused him of violent and sexually transgressive behavior in the NRC and Het Parool. The police arrested him in January 2022. He was allowed to await his trial in freedom. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) had filed nine charges against him.

The Public Prosecution Service had recommended eight years in prison for N. The Justice Department had also charged the man with attempted serious assault on a friend in Sweden. The Public Prosecution Service there had dismissed the case at the time. According to the court, that decision is irrevocable, which means that the prosecution for this act in the Netherlands is invalid.

The verdict hit hard with a group of complainants who were present at the verdict. Tears flowed outside the courtroom immediately after the verdict. The court stated in the introduction to the verdict that it did not want to "detract from the unpleasant experiences and their consequences" with regard to the complainants.

In the verdict, the court also pointed out to N. that what he did was not always punishable by law, "but it was certainly reprehensible". They criticized his "dominant and rough behavior" and the fact that he "only had an eye" on his own interests and the satisfaction of his own lusts.

The OM said the verdict was disappointing. "There is a big gap between our recommendation and the final decision," a spokesperson for the OM said after the verdict. "We will study the verdict to see whether or not we will appeal."

Both the suspect and the OM can file an appeal regarding the verdict, sentencing, or both. Under Dutch law, the appeal must be filed within 14 days