Father and twin sons jailed in Rotterdam for incest and long-term abuse of daughter

A court in Rotterdam has sentenced a father to five years in prison in an incest case. For years, he physically and sexually abused his daughter. Her twin brothers, who also assaulted her, received prison terms of 32 months each, with 8 months conditionally suspended.

The victim was abused by her father from the age of 12 to 19. The sexual abuse included groping, rape, and sexual assault, and occurred weekly. Other instances of abuse included hitting the girl with a stick, slapping, or punching the girl.

The court found the victim’s statements to be credible, partly because they were detailed and consistent and were supported by other evidence. The trial also revealed that the strictly Christian family from Rotterdam-Zuidwijk had lived in isolation, dominated by the father’s control.

Psychiatric evaluations showed that both the father, Marius van der P., and his sons, Johannes and Bouwen van der P., have autism spectrum disorders. The court sentenced the father to five years in prison along with mandatory psychiatric therapy at a TBS facility under conditions, while the brothers must also receive treatment.

Prosecutors had sought harsher penalties: eight years in prison and TBS with compulsory treatment for the father, and 54 months and TBS with conditions for the brothers.