Dutch actor Thijs Römer in court for grooming teen fans

Popular Dutch actor Thijs Römer faces a 240-hour community service sentence for encouraging three teenage girls to send him nude photographs.

Römer (45), appeared in court in Assen on Tuesday, charged with grooming the girls, who were aged 14 to 16, between the end of 2015 and 2017.

The actor, who has appeared in over 20 films, should also be handed down a 90-day jail term, 89 suspended for the online abuse, the prosecution department said.

Römer, who was married to actress Katja Schuurman between 2006 and 2015  admitted talking to the girls online about sex in the wake of his divorce but said in court “it was technical, without any eroticism”.

One of the girls, who were all members of the actor’s fan club, was inspired to come forward about Römer after the Voice television talent show scandal broke in 2022. She called on the actor to take responsibility for his actions via social media channel Twitter.

Römer threatened to take legal action against the girl, who faced online death threats from the actor’s fans. However several other young women came forward with similar stories, two of whom also pressed charges.