Two men in their 60s are appearing in court in Utrecht charged with human trafficking and the sexual abuse of young men and boys after they were caught running an unlicenced brothel from a block of flats in Overvecht.

Police began the investigation in 2017 after tip-offs about one of the two men, named as Nicolaus L. That investigation led to the second man, Romeo A, who is said to have run the illegal brothel.

The two men used online chat services to set up dates with young men, often youngsters from problem families, or who had been institutionalised or who had mental disabilities. If the initial date was a success, the boys were put to work via website Boys4U, broadcaster NOS said.

In total, 11 young men supplied evidence included in the court case, seven of whom were under the age of 18. ‘Some of the boys were homeless or had lost contact with their families. Others had psychiatric problems or abused drugs,’ the public prosecutor said during Thursday’s hearing.

Both suspects have previous convictions for similar offences, local broadcaster RTV Utrecht reported.

The public prosecution department said on Thursday the men should be jailed for eight and 10 years, to be followed by psychiatric prison.