Utrecht teacher sentenced to four years for sexually abusing multiple high school girls
The Midden-Nederland District Court sentenced a 46-year-old man from Utrecht to four years in prison for sexually abusing multiple girls while working as their teacher. The court also banned him from working in education for nine years. He was also convicted of producing child sex abuse images.
The sexual abuse came to light when one of the victims went to the police in May 2024, reporting that she had been in a relationship with her teacher when she was 17, and he was 38. The man was her teacher at a secondary school in Zeist. A few months later, two other girls came forward. They were both 16 at the time of the abuse.
The police arrested the suspect in January 2025. Investigators found images of child sexual abuse on his data carriers. His phones also revealed that he had frequent, often sexual contact with children online.
The court considered it proven that the man committed multiple sex crimes with children over a period of more than seven years. He subjected two of the victims to physical sexual abuse and sex at his home. The other crimes involved online sex abuse.
From victim statements, the court found that the man typically operated in the same way. “The victims were insecure about themselves and sought support from the suspect, who acted as a coach,” the court said. “The contact began innocently, but the suspect then escalated to physical contact at school. The online contact then progressed to explicit sexual contact.” He convinced the victims to send him sexually explicit photos and videos, giving them “specific instructions” on what to do.
“He put his own sexual needs above the interests of the victims and shamelessly exploited their youthful open-mindedness and curiosity,” the court said. “As an adult, and especially as a teacher, coach, and student coordinator, the suspect should have protected the underage victims and provided them with safety. Instead, the suspect seriously betrayed the trust placed in him.”
In addition to the prison sentence and professional ban, the court imposed a restraining order against the man with all victims and ordered him to remain under supervision after serving his sentence to reduce the risk of recidivism.
