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Victims Address Court in Barendrecht Abuse Trial as Prosecution Demand Nears

Newsrooms stress restraint on explicit detail to avoid compounding harm to minors.

Overview

  • The court is hearing fifteen statements from victims and parents on Thursday, with four delivered behind closed doors.
  • Defendant Mels van B., 46, has admitted abusing dozens of girls, many of them friends of his daughter.
  • Testimony and court reporting describe alleged drugging of children and the creation of images of the abuse, including a victim who was 12.
  • Additional statements are scheduled Friday, when the Public Prosecution Service is expected to present its sentencing demand.
  • Reporters say they are omitting graphic specifics in live coverage, aligning with ethicists urging protection of minors.