A guitar player who reached the finals of the Holland’s Got Talent television show in 2009 appeared in court in Alkmaar on Thursday, charged with the sexual abuse of 13 boys, the youngest of whom was just four years old.

Lars de R, 26, is accused of abusing four boys from India, a boy from Croatia and others from the Netherlands.

He told the court that he wanted to take full responsibility for his actions. ‘The victims are completely blameless. I want to offer my excuses,’ he said. He admitted abusing at least 10 boys in court.

One boy, now 14, was abused by R from the age of five to 11. In a statement, read out in court by his lawyer Sebas Diekstra, the boy’s parents described how Lars, who had just become famous through the talent show, approached them via social media and complimented them about their son’s musical talent.

They met and formed a friendship, after which the abuse started. The whole family is now undergoing therapy, the court was told.

R, who was 17 when he was on the tv show, told the court he had discovered he was attracted to young boys at a young age.