A 23-year-old woman from Rijsbergen says she was sexually abused online by actor Thijs Römer. According to her, this happened when she was about 15 years old. The same happened to at least two other girls, according to the Public Prosecution Service (OM). The 44-year-old Römer will appear before the court in Assen this morning to answer for these matters.
The two other victims come from Drenthe and Friesland and are 21 and 22. They were all big fans of Römer during their puberty. The born Amsterdammer has always denied. Unlike the two other victims, the woman from Rijsbergen is not there, but her lawyer will read a statement on her behalf.
Many reporters and cameramen have gathered in the court in Assen. Römer had asked in advance that no images or sound recordings may be made of him. He says he cannot speak freely. The judge agrees.
‘Abuse of fame’
The three women filed a report against the actor last year. They know each other from a group app with fans. According to the Public Prosecution Service, Römer persuaded his teenage fans to send nude images of himself between November 2015 and December 2017.
Katja Schuurman’s ex-husband used his status and fame to get the girls to take pictures of themselves, according to the OM. They would also have rubbed their genitals at his request and recorded this. During that period, the actor could be seen in the TV series Moordvrouw.
He is also accused of sending dickpics (pictures or videos of his erect penis). He is also charged with possession of child pornography. As far as is known, Römer personally met one of the victims, the woman from Drenthe. He would also have promised her an extra role in Moordvrouw.
‘defamation report’
The actor reacted indignantly when the allegations came out in May last year. On Twitter he wrote, among other things: “The story about a 14-year-old girl with whom I would have had cross-border contact, as a father of a teenage daughter and a sane person, is a bridge too far for me. If this doesn’t stop, I’ll have to file a libel suit.”
In November, the Public Prosecution Service announced that the actor is being prosecuted for three sex offenses involving minors. The contacts would have been made via Instagram, Twitter and WhatsApp, among others. Justice says that there has been no physical contact between the actor and the girls. For the three women who took Römer to court, it is already a victory that the OM decided to make a case out of it, their lawyer told RTV Drenthe: “This is confirmation that it is not just a story that has been brought into the world.”
The Public Prosecution Service will present its demands on Tuesday, and the verdict will follow in two weeks. Römer can be sentenced to several years in prison. He may also have to pay compensation.