A 46-year-old man from Knokke-Heist has been given a five-year suspended prison sentence for attempted rape, incitement to indecency, online grooming, and possession of images involving the sexual abuse of minors.
The man, identified as Pieter V., sought nude photos and sexual encounters with minors, offering up to €15,000 to the mother of a 16-year-old girl.
In February 2022, he expressed interest in pornographic videos of a woman but soon began asking for photos of her children, even offering €50 for a picture of her seven-year-old daughter. He also attempted to have direct contact with the victim.
In August 2023, Pieter V. offered between €5,000 and €10,000 to another mother for a sexual encounter with her 16-year-old daughter. When his offer was rejected, he raised it to €15,000 despite having scant financial means.
He later posed as a 14-year-old boy on Snapchat to lure a 12-year-old girl into sexual activity, offering €5,000 for a nude photo.
Pieter V. also contacted a Filipino travel agency, asking to meet 15-year-old girls. When offered 20-year-old women, he attempted to negotiate for their daughters.
The investigating judge released him under conditions, but he served two months in prison in early 2024 for possessing explicit images of a minor. His phone contained around ten similar photos.
The court sentenced him to five years in prison, suspended under strict conditions.
He is prohibited from contacting minors, using social media, and has lost his civil rights for five years.
The verdict took into account his prior criminal record, which was clean.
Pieter V. has since secured stable employment and reportedly stopped using drugs.
