Primary school teacher from The Hague convicted of sexually abusing a pupil
A 29-year-old former elementary school teacher from The Hague was convicted Monday of sexually abusing a 12-year-old student during a school camp in Drenthe. The court imposed a prison sentence and a community service order but did not bar him from working in education, NU.nl reports.
The abuse allegedly took place in the early morning on January 31 during the end-of-year camp for Group 8. The teacher was dismissed from his job after the incident was reported.
The court found that on that day, the teacher had climbed into the student's bed, placed his hand onto the student's stomach, and "rubbed it in the direction of the genitals." The court stated that these acts were sexual. The teacher denied the accusations. The court also said that the teacher abused his position of power, betraying the trust of the students and the parents.
He was sentenced to 180 days in prison, with 167 days suspended. He must also complete 150 hours of community service. The suspended portion of the sentence will remain in effect for three years.
The court attached several conditions to the suspended sentence. The list includes mandatory treatment, a ban on contact with the victim and the victim's parents, and a requirement to report any change of employment.
The teacher must also pay 1,000 euros in damages to the student's family. But experts said the man was unlikely to repeat the crime, so he was not barred from working in education.
Following the incident, the school, with the assistance of the Municipal Public Health Service, or GGD, offered support sessions to children and their parents.
