A 26-year-old man from Zuid-Holland has been jailed for four years, one suspended, for blackmailing at least 21 girls with faked nude photographs.

Jacobus van der V used the name Lars van Dijk to get chatting to the girls, aged 12 to 16 on Snapchat and faked photos of them using pictures from their Instagram accounts. He then threatened to place them online, unless the girls came up with real nude pictures. 

The threat enabled him to get 30 photos and videos from one 15-year-old victim alone. In total 21 girls made complaints against Van der V, but police say the total will be far higher. 

Van der V said during the hearing he had blackmailed the girls to “satisfy his lusts”. In several cases he sent the photos on to friends of his victims, and they ended up in circulation at their schools.  

“The accused failed to take into account in any way the fact that photographs published on the internet are not only a huge invasion of the privacy of those involved, but are also visible for years and can circulate indefinitely,” the court said.

“The accused has seriously compromised the enjoyment of life of these young people and their loved ones, at least temporarily, and in some cases possibly for life.”

Van der V was also ordered to pay his young victims compensation, ranging from €1,000 to nearly €8,000.