A 35-year-old man accused of the abuse of a 10-year-old boy in Hoogkerk in Groningen may have approached hundreds of children online, the public prosecutor has said during a pro-forma court hearing.

The public prosecutor said that data from the man’s two phones showed he may have groomed as many as 500 children between the ages of 8 and 17 via Snapchat. Police also found child pornography material on his phones.

Police began investigating the case after the parents of one of the children reported the conversation.

Local broadcaster RTV Noord said the man is a “top athlete” who had been active in Groningen from 2023 to 2024 but did not mention in which sport.

The prosecutor said it cannot give out more information because just two of the grooming victims have been identified so far, and the suspect has not yet been confronted with the latest findings. Police said they are confident that they will be able to identify some 75 of the victims.

The suspect was not present at the hearing because he is in custody pending a psychiatric evaluation. According to his lawyer, he wants to cooperate in the investigation.

The next hearing will take place on May 21.