3 years in prison for school teacher convicted of sexual abuse, child pornography

The court of appeal in The Hague sentenced a teacher to 35 months in prison for sexually abusing three young pupils and possessing child- and animal pornography. The teacher worked at a primary school in Noordwijkerhout at the time of the crimes.

In 2020, the court in The Hague sentenced the teacher to 36 months in prison, 12 months of which were conditionally suspended. The appeals court cut a month off the sentence because the appeal case took too long. Both courts also banned the person from practicing as a teacher, caregiver, or instructor working with children for five years.

Two experts gave contradicting opinions on whether the young victims’ statements were reliable. The court did not consider it necessary to call in a third expert on appeal and didn’t include the expert opinions in its case assessment.

“The court considered itself capable of forming an opinion on the reliability of the child victims’ statements,” the court said. It based its ruling on the case file and the witnesses who testified on appeal.