Lawyers for Mels van B. demand tbs treatment before his 18-year prison term
The Court of Appeal in The Hague will have experts re-examine Mels van B., who was sentenced to 18 years in prison and tbs, and aims to hear the appeal in the second quarter of 2027.
Lawyers for Mels van B. told an interim appeal hearing in The Hague on Thursday that he should be treated in a tbs clinic as soon as possible. They fear "detention damage" if he first has to serve a long prison sentence. The Rotterdam district court sentenced him earlier this year to 18 years in prison and tbs, compulsory psychiatric treatment, for sexual abuse.
One of his lawyers said Van B. does not contest the facts for which he was convicted or the claims filed by victims, but cannot accept the sentence: "Such a long prison sentence conflicts with the aims of tbs."
Lawyer Anouk Heijnen compared it to a physical injury: "You wouldn't wait years before treating a leg injury. Why do it with a psychological injury?" She argued that a recent report by the WODC, a research and data centre, shows treatment becomes harder and less effective after long detention.
The court of appeal decided to call in two experts from the Pieter Baan Centrum, who examined Van B. earlier. The key question is whether a long prison sentence affects his later treatment. Their report is about a year old, so the court wants it updated.
The defence had wanted an experienced treatment provider as expert. The court prefers a psychologist and a psychiatrist who know Van B. well.
The Openbaar Ministerie, the Public Prosecution Service, said it will again demand tbs with compulsory treatment. It sees fewer problems with long detention: "There is also a psychologist available in prison who can prevent a detainee from suffering detention damage." The prosecution says the case is about retribution, a long prison sentence, and that the experts do not decide on that.
The court of appeal aims to hear the case on its merits in the second quarter of 2027.
Follow the story: OM
OM (Openbaar Ministerie)
The Public Prosecution Service, which decides whether suspects are prosecuted and brings criminal cases to court.
tbs (terbeschikkingstelling)
Tbs (terbeschikkingstelling) is a Dutch court measure for offenders who committed a serious crime and have a mental disorder linked to that crime. Instead of, or alongside, a prison sentence, the person is placed in a forensic psychiatric clinic for treatment aimed at reducing the risk of reoffending. The measure can be extended for as long as the person is still judged to pose a danger to society, and release is conditional and supervised.
Pieter Baan Centrum
The Pieter Baan Centrum is the Dutch national forensic psychiatric observation centre, where experts examine suspects and convicted offenders on the orders of judges. Its reports assess a person's mental state, criminal responsibility and treatment needs, and courts use them when deciding on sentences or measures such as tbs. Because these examinations are tied to a specific point in time, courts sometimes ask for an updated report.