The Amsterdam Court of Appeal has sentenced 37‑year‑old Martijn N., former director of cultural platform Moam, to three and a half years in prison for sexual offences involving young men and two 15‑year‑old boys. The Court of Appeal found more offences proven than the District Court, which had earlier given him a one‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, with eight months suspended.
The court ruled that N. committed two rapes, an assault, and indecent acts with two minors. It acquitted him of four other rapes and an attempted rape because there was not enough evidence. The Public Prosecution Service had appealed the earlier verdict and asked for a seven‑year sentence. N. did not attend Monday’s ruling and let his lawyers represent him.
The case became public in 2021 after Het Parool and NRC published reports about sexual misconduct by N. Nearly thirty men shared their experiences in those articles. Several later reported to the police. N. was a well‑known figure in the Amsterdam fashion world and linked young talent with established designers through Moam, the organization he founded.
N. contacted young men through social media and invited them to his home. These meetings often involved rough sex. In the cases where the court found rape or sexual assault proven, it said N. ignored the victims’ boundaries. The court described his behaviour as dominant and intimidating, with violence involved. It also noted that the victims were younger and less sexually experienced than N.
The court said it was “appalling” that N. knowingly arranged to meet two underage boys for sex dominantly and roughly. During the trial, N. admitted he has a dominant attitude but denied forcing anyone.
When deciding the sentence, the court considered the strong media attention and its impact on N. The Probation Service also reported a change in his behaviour.
@ANP | News Brainport
