33-year-old Jeroen V. from Boxmeer was sentenced to three and a half years in prison by the court in Den Bosch on Thursday for extorting and raping a woman he met through a dating site. The court considers it proven that he put her under pressure for months with threats and a sex video. The woman, from Bergen in Limburg, was also forced to perform sexual acts in a parking lot in Eindhoven.
In addition to the prison sentence, V. received a contact and area ban for five years. He is not allowed to contact the victim and is not allowed to be in Oirschot, where the woman regularly stays.
Contact via social media
The man had contact with the victim via Snapchat and other apps between July and September 2024. The woman told him how much savings she had. Shortly afterwards he started demanding money from her. He said he was in trouble and that his ‘friends’ were abusing him and setting his house on fire. If she didn’t help him, things would end badly for him. Out of fear, the woman transferred money and delivered it personally. In total she lost more than eight thousand euros.
According to the court, V. had no regard for the victim’s suffering and grossly abused her goodness and vulnerability.
Extortion with video
On September 25, 2024, the woman had to come to a remote area at Park Forum in Eindhoven. There V. forced her to perform oral sex, which he filmed. With that video he then put further pressure on her to continue giving money.
The woman stated that she was afraid he would do something to her or spread the video. The court finds her statement reliable and supported by evidence, including the suspect’s confession.
‘Many regrets’
During previous sessions, V. said little. His lawyer indicated that he is very sorry and that he wanted to repay the victim. It also turned out that he has a mild intellectual disability and was struggling with a gambling addiction. According to experts, the chance of recurrence is small, but the court considers the seriousness of the facts to be of great importance. “He seriously affected her freedom, dignity and sense of security,” the court said.
The woman is awarded compensation of more than 10,700 euros. The amount must be paid to her through the State.
Responsible for actions
The man has been in pre-trial detention since his arrest at the beginning of this year. His request to be released until the verdict was previously rejected, because the court did not have sufficient insight into his mental state at the time.
This week’s ruling brings the case to an end. The court says that the man has trapped a vulnerable woman in a fearful situation with his lies and manipulation. The ruling makes it clear that the judge does believe that he is responsible for what he has done, despite his limited mental capabilities and addiction problems.