A 41-year-old man has been jailed for four years, one year suspended, for forcing dozens of children to perform sexual acts in front of a webcam.

Michel S had a collection of images featuring 301 children aged between nine and 14 which he had built up over a seven-year period. Many of the children were vulnerable, with low IQs or had spent time in care homes, the court in Amsterdam was told during the trial.

All but nine of the children were boys and S persuaded them to perform by pretending to be a teenage girl. He also threatened to circulate images of his victims if they did not continue to comply with his demands.

The public prosecution department had said S should be jailed for three years, followed by detention in a psychiatric clinic. The court refused to send S to a clinic, saying he did not have a personality disorder.

During the court hearing, S denied his behaviour was about sex but said he did it because he was lonely. Experts were also unable to conclude he is a paedophile, news agency ANP reportes.