Man sentenced to five years, psychiatric treatment for online sex abuse of 34 children

A 20-year-old man from The Hague has been sentenced to five years in prison and mandatory psychiatric treatment at a TBS facility for the online sexual abuse of 34 children, the District Court of The Hague ruled on Thursday. Among other offenses, he coerced children into sending him explicit sexual material.

The suspect used online games to make contact with his victims, and he then convinced children to commit sexual acts on themselves. In one instance, he forced a brother and sister to commit extensive sexual acts on each other.

The man was arrested in July 2024, following three reports from boys who claimed he had solicited nude photos from them. These initial reports were followed by dozens of additional complaints.

The man never had any physical contact with the children; he often gave aggressive instructions to the victims on what acts they should perform while masturbating.

The court concluded that the man acted “methodically and cunningly” and convicted him on all charges. He “completely disregarded the feelings of and harm caused to the children.” The victims in the case include 33 boys and one girl.

Although the offender was partly underage and partly an adult at the time of the crimes, the court decided he would be judged under adult criminal law. Experts, including a psychologist and a psychiatrist, diagnosed him with an autism spectrum disorder and a pedophilic disorder. The court ruled that TBS, compulsory forensic psychiatric treatment, is required due to a high risk of reoffending.

The offender is barred from any contact with the victims and is required to pay compensation between 3,500 and 10,000 euros. Following his TBS sentence, he will continue to be closely monitored.