Public Prosecution Service seeks five years in prison for online child abuse
The suspect is alleged to have commissioned and watched paid livestreams involving minors from the Netherlands.
Listen to this article
There is no audio version yet. Request one and an AI voice will read the article aloud.
Read by an AI voice.
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) told the court in Den Bosch on Tuesday that it was seeking a five-year prison sentence for a 55-year-old man from Rijen. He is suspected of commissioning and watching the sexual abuse of children via livestreams; the suspect is presumed innocent until his guilt has been established in court.
According to the OM, the suspect used 25 accounts on an online platform. Between July and early October 2025, he allegedly contacted 1,369 other accounts to organise or watch paid livestreams involving children.
According to the OM, Dutch police traced the suspect after receiving a report from the United States. The OM says an IP address was used to establish who was behind the accounts. According to the OM, American investigators shared chat conversations and video recordings with the Dutch authorities.
The OM says that sexual abuse of two minors actually took place in August 2025 at the suspect’s direction. According to the OM, the children are probably abroad. De Vector is not reproducing details of the images or the abuse.
The suspect is also accused of possessing criminal images. In determining the sentence it is seeking, the OM is also taking into account a 2001 conviction for possessing child pornography. A previous conviction is not proof that the current allegations have been proven; that will ultimately be decided by the court.
According to the OM, the case illustrates how internet contacts can facilitate cross-border abuse. The paying viewer may be in a different country from the providers or victims, while the digital infrastructure may be located elsewhere again. As a result, reports, evidence gathering and prosecution may require international cooperation.
In addition to five years in prison, the OM says it has also requested treatment. The court is expected to issue its ruling in two weeks. Until then, the allegations remain allegations. Because minors are involved, De Vector is publishing no names, identifying information or details that could identify victims.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The OM is seeking five years in prison and treatment for a suspect from Rijen.
- The allegations concern online contact and commissioning or watching livestreams involving minors.
- The court has yet to issue its ruling.
Left
Arguments Online platforms and international law-enforcement agencies should take greater responsibility for detecting abuse at an early stage and better protecting victims. Criminal law alone is insufficient if digital infrastructure allows the business model to continue.
Values Child protection, prevention and international solidarity.
Consequences Greater oversight and reporting obligations could help victims more quickly, but would also increase pressure on privacy and platform moderation.
Centre
Arguments Robust investigation is needed, but prosecution must continue to be based on verifiable evidence and a fair trial. International cooperation and specialised support services should accompany punishment.
Values The rule of law, proportionality and the protection of children.
Consequences A careful procedure can lead to a sustainable conviction and better cooperation, but requires time and capacity.
Right
Arguments Anyone who pays for or commissions abuse abroad from the Netherlands should be prosecuted firmly and visibly here. Digital distance must not create legal or moral distance.
Values Strict enforcement, accountability and deterrence.
Consequences Higher sentences and broader investigative powers could raise the threshold for offending, but may also prompt debate about evidence from abroad and privacy.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The text remains limited to the current sentence sought and presents all allegations as allegations. The source is primary, but an independent second source is unavailable.
- confirmed The OM sought five years in prison for a 55-year-old man from Rijen. — Reported directly by the OM on 20 October 2026. source
- confirmed The suspect allegedly approached 1,369 accounts through 25 accounts. — According to the OM’s account of the facts. source
- confirmed The court will issue its ruling in two weeks. — Announced by the OM. source
Editor's note
The sentence sought, allegations and procedural status have been taken directly from the current OM statement. No independent second public source with additional information was available; the text therefore remains strictly limited to what the OM states.Sources
- OM eist 5 jaar cel voor seksueel misbruik van kinderen via livestreams — Openbaar Ministerie
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „justitie livestreams”
- Het Parool — „justitie livestreams”
- Trouw — „justitie livestreams”