Dutch police warn ‘stop paedophile hunts’ after 73-year-old beaten to death

Dutch police have issued a warning (file photo)

Credit: ARIE KIEVIT/AFP/Getty Images

Dutch police and prosecutors have issued an urgent warning to the public to stop ‘paedophile hunting’ after the death of a 73-year-old former teacher.

According to reports in the Dutch press, the man from Arnhem was severely beaten up by a group of teenagers who had set him up online to meet a 15-year-old boy for sex.

Although it is not known if the pensioner knew the boy was under age, or if was indeed a paedophile, the Dutch prosecution service confirmed on Thursday that the attack was thought to be a ‘paedophile hunt’ that ‘got out of hand.’

On the last Wednesday evening of October the teacher, who has only been named as Jan, was attacked by a group of teenage boys and left heavily wounded. He died of his injuries in hospital and seven teenagers have since been arrested. At least two are still in custody.

Jan Roethof, lawyer for one of the 15-year-old suspects, told Dutch media that the confrontation did not take place ‘by accident’, although he rejected the term used by the police. 

The group of teenagers apparently arranged the meeting with a young boy via a local gay chatroom. 

"The fact that a group of teenagers wanted to confront an adult man about meeting up with a 15-year-old does not mean they had a preconceived plan for violence," said Mr Roethof. His client says he is innocent.

Dutch police believe the incident could be a copycat after more than 250 reported incidents of vigilante paedophile hunts in recent months.

"We are very worried," said Oscar Dros, head of the Oost-Nederland police force in a press release. "Citizens are playing at being judges, thinking they are lending the law a helping hand but they are actually making things more difficult for us… Stop provoking them, stop detaining them, stop paedophile hunting."

Some suspected paedophiles have reportedly been menaced while in their cars, assaulted, threatened and publicly shamed on the internet. 

Dutch justice minister Ferd Grapperhaus — who earlier this year announced a crackdown on people sharing ‘paedophile guides’ — has still urged people not to take the law into their own hands.