A seven-year-old boy expelled from primary school for inappropriate sexual behaviour towards his classmates must be allowed to attend another school in his home town of Hillegom, judges ruled on Thursday.

The boy, himself a victim of sexual abuse, was sent home from school when he was just six years old after incidents involving 17 other children. A second school, which his parents wanted him to attend, refused to accept the child because of the risk to his fellow pupils.

Experts told the court in The Hague the child displayed ‘learned behaviour’ which therapy has helped stop and that the chance of him committing the offence again is very small. The boy forms ‘no greater risk of sexually inappropriate behaviour than any other child’,’ the court said in its verdict.

In addition, the boy will be carefully monitored at school by an extra teacher.

The boy has been taught at home for 10 months. ‘I am glad he can go back to school,’ his mother told the NRC.