Ridderkerk man convicted of sexually abusing nine girls

A 33-year-old man from Ridderkerk, Zuid-Holland, has been convicted for sexual offenses against nine girls. Although the investigation identified 17 victims, the court ruled there was not enough evidence to convict him for all the alleged incidents.

He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, with an additional six months conditionally suspended. He will be on probation for five years and is required, among other conditions, to undergo treatment.

The man used an alias to make himself seem younger on several platforms. He coerced girls into sending nude images or videos, occasionally including sexual acts.

The court found the charges of sex with a child proven. He was found guilty of paying a 16-year-old girl 400 euros and paying for her train ticket in exchange for sexual acts. He coerced or persuaded girls into producing nude images, typically paying about 10 euros, and threatened to share the photos with their families.

Not all charges could be proven. While the court accepted the victims’ testimonies, the assaults on two girls aged 11 and 13 could not be confirmed, although the man possessed erotic photos of them. For other victims, evidence existed of payments or photos, but the relevant chat messages were not recovered.

The judge handed the Ridderkerk man a prison term six months longer than prosecutors had recommended. The court stated that his actions “seriously harmed the mental and physical integrity and normal (sexual) development of the young victims,” and that a lighter sentence would not have done justice.