Dutch court hears lasting effects described in online abuse case

Six statements presented at a Rotterdam court described continuing shame, fear, sadness and psychological distress, Dutch news agency ANP reported. The people who gave them were minors at the time of the alleged abuse.

Bas P., from Herten in the southern Netherlands, is on trial on suspicion of online abuse involving 245 underage girls, according to ANP. The allegations include forcing girls to perform sexual acts on webcam; P. denies using coercion.

One girl described how the events had affected her view of herself. “I feel dirty. I am angry with myself,” she said, in remarks translated from Dutch. She also said she was afraid when she saw someone who resembled the defendant. Local broadcaster L1 reported that her statement was conveyed through a victim support organisation.

L1 said some of those involved attended with their parents, while others followed the hearing by video. One father told the court that his family had gone into therapy. A lawyer speaking for another girl and her parents described their sense of helplessness at being unable to protect her.

Earlier in the hearing, P. said a computer game he had partly developed asked players to perform sexual acts on webcam at its final level. He told the court he had not sufficiently realised he was dealing with real people, as reported earlier.

In February, a civil court in The Hague ruled that an earlier prosecution service press release was unlawful because it suggested P. was guilty of coercion and blackmail. It declined to order a further correction after prosecutors amended the release. The ruling concerned the press release, not the outcome of the criminal case.

L1 reported that prosecutors were due to recommend a sentence on 12 November, after which P.’s lawyer would speak. A date for the verdict had not been announced.