Netherlands - Dutch family living in basement 9 yrs, Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province, 15 October 2019

[ZaZara]

https://dvhn.nl/drenthe/Klusjesman-...mishandeling-Ruinerwoldkinderen-27054829.html

Josef B. (60), the so-called 'handyman' in the notorious case of the 'ghost family' from Ruinerwold, is now also being prosecuted for alleged maltreatment of children on the farm. This was revealed in the court in Assen on Tuesday. The denying suspect was not present.

The Austrian national is seen as the man who performed all kinds of tasks on a remote farm in Ruinerwold (Drenthe), where father Gerrit Jan van D. (68) lived with six children. According to the judiciary, B. was thus a co-perpetrator to the deprivation of liberty of the children of Van D. and an Austrian companion.

Tuesday afternoon there was a pre-trial hearing in the court in Assen.
B. (who has not been held in custody since October last year) wants his prosecution to be discontinued, among other things because the prosecution of father Van D. was already abandoned earlier. Van D. would not be able to comprehend what he was accused of because of a brain haemorrhage (years ago now).

Lawyer Yehudi Moszkowicz had previously indicated that he had no need for the pre-trial review and would have preferred to see the substantive hearing on Tuesday. Initially, he had no new requests for investigation and neither did the court. The lawyer would still like to hear Van D., which was rejected by the court earlier: "Because he is an important witness. Whether or not it is possible in practice is another discussion." Justice reiterated that it is simply not possible. "It is not possible to check whether the suspect understands. There is no statement from Mr. (Van D.) in the file either. It is not possible..."

The counsel was especially surprised about the now adjusted indictment. Why didn't he know this beforehand and who exactly was molested: "I can't find anything about it yet, while I have kept in touch regularly by e-mail." Moszkowicz spoke briefly with his client by telephone from the courthouse. "There comes a new suspicion jumping like a rabbit out of a hat. This is completely new to us. I would have liked to know that when hearing the witnesses. The defence is being harmed here! I do not agree with it. I also wonder whether it is possible. Wasn't the indictment already final?" He expects to take a position on further investigation requests within two weeks.

After the sensational case broke in October 2019, it became world news. B. disappeared behind bars for almost a year. However, the handyman denied the allegations and saw himself as a target of a witch hunt. He claimed that he mainly did the shopping for the family and helped renovate the farm, which was in a state of disrepair at the time. The children could have walked away, moreover he only saw one of them himself, he stated.

B. rented the farm and was a friend of father Van D. B. seems to have gone along with the ideas that had captivated the family for a long time (from 2010 to late 2019). The case started rolling when a son walked into a nearby café.

The substantive hearing of the case against B. was scheduled for 11 November, but it will now probably be a pre-trial review.



BBM


Usually, when an indicted suspect is let go from detention, this is because it is expected that the possible penalty will not exceed the time already passed in prison - in this case 1 year.

Very strange what is happening now.

 

[Niner]

Don't know if this is still happening - but I will post this so I can shorten it up a bit.


Thursday, November 11th:
*Pretrial Review Hearing (@ CET) – Netherlands – Dutch Family (Oct. 14, 2019, at Buitenhuizerweg in Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province) – only for *Josef B. (58/now 60) (Austrian) tenant of the property (& carpenter), was arrested on 10/17/19 & appeared in court (10/17/19). He is suspected of complicity in deprivation of liberty, mistreatment and money laundering. Money laundering charge was dismissed (4/6/20). Released on 10/30/20 to await trial.
Trial was set to begin sometime in February, 2021-cancelled.
2/10/21 Update: Josef B: last hearing was on 12/10/20, no further dates available yet.
3/4/21 Update: Josef B. was immediately arrested during the police raid & remained in custody for over a year. In October last year he was released, pending his trial. According to a spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service, the handyman, like the father, is suspected of unlawful deprivation of liberty of the children. He is also alleged to have been guilty of hostage-taking. When the case against Josef B. will be heard, depends on the agenda of the court, according to the spokesperson of the public prosecutor's office. Legal proceedings are also underway concerning the farmhouse in Ruinerwold, which according to the municipality of De Wolden has been renovated illegally. The municipality wants the farmhouse to be restored to its original state. And there may be a few more procedures to come. The municipality of De Wolden demanded that Josef B. had to repair everything by 1 March last year. None of the renovations would meet the requirements for fire safety & ventilation. The correct permit was also missing. The municipality threatened him with a penalty payment of up to 50,000 euros. But last year in September, the objections committee warned the municipality after lawyer Yehudi Moskowicz objected on behalf of Josef B. to the municipality's claims. Josef B. was unable to do the required repair work because he was still in prison. Moreover, the handyman did not have a key to the premises. The council was eventually ordered by the objections committee to better do its homework & to provide better reasons for the shortcomings. This case is still ongoing. Lawyer Robert Snorn, Gerrit J V.D. attorney also has to claim the return of a considerable amount of confiscated money. During the raid one & a half years ago, almost 100.000 Euros in cash was found. At first, money laundering was suspected. But statements showed that the money had been earned honestly by selling self-made furniture by the Austrian business partners. They deposited the money in Gerrit Jan van D.'s account, who then had it withdrawn in cash. The suspicion of money laundering was subsequently dropped from the indictment. "But all this time the money has not been returned, so that still has to happen," says Snorn.
9/21/21 Update: Josef B. (60), the so-called 'handyman' in the notorious case of the 'ghost family' from Ruinerwold, is now also being prosecuted for alleged maltreatment of children on the farm. This was revealed in the court in Assen on Tuesday. The denying suspect was not present. Tuesday afternoon there was a pre-trial hearing in the court in Assen. B. (who has not been held in custody since October last year) wants his prosecution to be discontinued, among other things because the prosecution of father Van D. was already abandoned earlier. The substantive hearing of the case against B. was scheduled for 11 November, but it will now probably be a pre-trial review.
*Gerrit-Jan van Dorsten aka John Eagles (67/now 68) (father) was arrested on Thursday (10/17/19) & appeared in court (10/21/19). He is suspected of complicity in unlawful deprivation of liberty, ill-treatment in the sense of damaging the health of others & money laundering. Money laundering charge was dismissed (4/6/20).
Court info from 10/17/19 thru 2/10/21 reference post #138 here:
Netherlands - Dutch family living in basement 9 yrs, Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province, 15 October 2019
2/18/21 Update: The Public Prosecutor wants to discontinue the prosecution because, according to public prosecutor Diana Roggen, Van D. is able to understand the scope of the criminal proceedings to a certain extent, but is unable to defend himself due to his brain damage. This would constitute a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights, which states that suspects have the right to a fair trial, in which they can actively participate & defend themselves. According to Roggen, this is not the case with Van D.. The Public Prosecution Service disagrees with the older children about the father's ability to stand trial. He cannot talk & answers questions with "yo-yo" & a lot of facial expressions, but it is unclear what he means & whether he understands what is asked of him. No improvement in his health situation is possible. Because the severe cerebral stroke went untreated for years, his condition has become chronic. Prosecutor Roggen said on Thursday in the district court of Assen that she is aware of the impact this has on the eldest children & acknowledges the danger of a revival of the old situation in which the father & the youngest children isolate themselves from society. Nothing has changed in Van D.'s way of thinking. He still thinks that the world will end in forty or fifty years & that he himself will return as a baby. Roggen: "However, the children are of age. That is their choice. And their right," according to prosecutor Roggen. If on March 4, the court grants this request of the Prosecution, the criminal case against Van D. will end * he will be a free man. The court will make a final decision on the prosecution on 4 March, at 9 a.m. Partial description of abuse from oldest children (post #141):
Netherlands - Dutch family living in basement 9 yrs, Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province, 15 October 2019
3/4/21 Update: Gerrit-Jan van D. is "unfit to stand trial", according to the president of the court this morning. Prosecuting him would be a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights. The court in Assen decided to declare the Public Prosecution Service not admissible. The Public Prosecutor himself had already requested this last week, convinced that a fair trial would be impossible. According to the court, since suffering a severe brain hemorrhage in 2016, Gerrit-Jan van D. is no longer able to understand the scope of the prosecution against him, let alone to defend himself. Gerrit-Jan van D. will move in with his five youngest children immediately after his release. Case dismissed.
4/14/21 Update: The four elder children of Ruinerwold are going to the civil court, because they want to hold father Gerrit Jan van D. liable for unlawful acts. Their lawyer Corinne Jeekel stated this on Wednesday evening in the TV programme Op1. "They want recognition for what was not right," according to Jeekel. "That's why they want to take a different legal path and go to a civil court for a civil case. In their eyes the judiciary should assess what has happened."
5/4/21 Update: A new report has been filed against Ruinerwold father Gerrit Jan van D. It concerns 'sexually transgressive behavior against one of the younger children. The Public Prosecution Service announced this. "The report is currently being investigated," a spokeswoman confirmed. "As usual in moral cases, we will not go into further detail at this stage. This affects the privacy of a family that has already been in the limelight," she continues. Where the alleged sexual abuse was committed, has not been disclosed. Lawyer Corinne Jeekel, who represents the four eldest children, confirms that one of the five younger children reported the case. After the release of Van D., they went to live with him again in Ermelo. Sources report that the young woman no longer lives with her father. Father of Ruinerwold family temporarily not allowed to enter the children's house. Ermelo has issued a restraining order against Gerrit Jan van D. The ban means that the father of the 'Ruinerwold family' is no longer allowed to stay with his children in their house in the Veluwe municipality. 5/5/21 Update: Van D. has been transferred to a care institution.
5/21/21 Update: Father Gerrit Jan van D. of the Ruinerwold family is not allowed to come near the home of the youngest children for the next ninety days. The Public Prosecution Service has decided this. The Public Prosecutor has imposed a so-called behavioral order.
6/17/21 Update: Gerrit Jan van D. committed to closed clinic for six months. van D., the father of the Ruinerwold family, has been compulsorily committed to a care institution for at least six months. This emerges from a ruling by the District Court of Gelderland. This means that, for the time being, the risk of repeat offences within the family has been averted. van D. is restricted in his freedom of movement, in receiving visitors & is forcefully given fluids, medication & food, should this be necessary. The ruling by the District Court of Gelderland was issued on 21 May of this year. The Public Prosecutor had requested this so-called care measure. The court granted that request. The court's reasoning shows that van D. has serious mental disorders. Experts have determined that he has a severe personality disorder with narcissistic, antisocial characteristics, possibly including schizophrenia. The court furthermore said that there is a considerable chance that van D. will again cause serious harm to the children if he does not receive proper care. The ruling also shows that both van D. & his youngest children want to be reunited. The Netherlands Institute for Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology (NIFP), examined van D. The NIFP writes: (...) However, there is a clear risk of seriously damaging behaviour towards the children. When the person involved returns to his family (both the person involved & the youngest children want to be reunited), there is a chance of a resurgence of the old dynamics, also because the youngest children are still indoctrinated(...)". For the court, the fact that this may already have happened also counts heavily. The ruling states that the public prosecutor has 'serious objections' against van D. because, after his release in March of this year, he might have committed a sex crime with one of his children in Ermelo. Last Thursday, the Public Prosecutor dismissed the case. van D. was released in March after the court in Assen stopped his trial because he was not able to follow his case. Because of a stroke he is paralysed on one side & he can hardly communicate. The compulsory admission lasts at least until 21 September. After that, the judge can extend the period once more by one year. This can be done up to a total of five years. If, according to the experts, compulsory admission is still necessary after 5 years, the period can be extended by a further two years.

 

[ZaZara]

Advocaat 'klusjesman' wil Ruinerwoldkinderen opnieuw verhoren, OM vindt dat te schadelijk voor hen

Lawyer of ' handyman' wants to re-interview Ruinerwold children, Public Prosecutor considers this too damaging for them

If the court agrees to change the indictment against 'Ruinerwold handyman' Josef B., his lawyer wants to hear the nine children of the family as witnesses again. The judiciary considers new hearings harmful for the children and is against it.

The Public Prosecution Service wants to add the charge of complicity in years of abuse to the charges against B. (60), but according to the defence it is too late for that because the case has been going on for so long. The lawyer would also have liked to question the children during an earlier witness examination if he had known about this, he said at a hearing in September.

The prosecution assumes that B., who is also suspected of years of deprivation of liberty of the nine children, did not abuse the children himself. According to the OM, he helped the father of Ruinerwold, Gerrit Jan van D., by lending a hand, enabling him to keep his family hidden from the outside world for years. Van D. preached his own religion and would have mistreated and abused his children.

According to the OM, the abuse is nothing new. "It first fell under hostage-taking in the indictment and we just put a different legal label on it," according to the public prosecutor Tuesday in the court in Assen, during a preliminary hearing against B. According to her, a new hearing could be harmful for the children in processing their traumas. "Their welfare and health must come first."

Because of his poor health, father Gerrit Jan van D. cannot stand trial himself. The court ended the trial against him in March.

The court will decide on 18 November whether the charge against B. can be changed.


BBM




Dear me, why can't they stop? Of course the children need to be heard to prove complicity, and so should the father who is unable to stand trial anyway."We just put a different legal label on it"..... seriously? Whatever happened to the right to due process if the Prosecution can change the charges at will and prevent witnesses from being heard in court?

We have seen better days in the Netherlands and these days won't be comng back soon.

 

[Niner]

But from my notes - he was already charged with complicity.

He is suspected of complicity in deprivation of liberty, mistreatment and money laundering. Money laundering charge was dismissed.

 

[ZaZara]

But from my notes - he was already charged with complicity.

He is suspected of complicity in deprivation of liberty, mistreatment and money laundering. Money laundering charge was dismissed.

This would be about 'complicity in years of abuse or maltreatment' instead of 'hostage taking' and apparently it is a new charge.

According to RTV Drenthe:
OM: ‘Opnieuw verhoren Ruinerwoldkinderen kan schadelijk zijn’


This morning another pre-trial hearing was held in the case concerning the family of Gerrit Jan van D.
Until October 2019, he and his children lived in complete isolation in a farmhouse in Ruinerwold and before that in Meppel, Zwartsluis and Hasselt, among other places. Van D. preached his own religion and maltreated the children. Some of them were also subjected to sexual abuse.

The 60-year old Austrian Josef B. has been his friend and supporter of his faith for years. He helped Van D. with all kinds of odd jobs. For example, he renovated the farm in Ruinerwold and organised the groceries for the family. According to the Public Prosecution Service, he is therefore co-accused of years of deprivation of liberty and abuse of the children.

In September, the Public Prosecution Service presented a new, amended charge against B. This did include the years of deprivation of liberty of the children, but another crime, hostage-taking, had been replaced by maltreatment. This is not acceptable, according to defense counsel Moszkowicz. The Public Prosecution Service came up with this much too late and moreover he would have liked to question the children about it himself in an earlier witness examination.

This morning it was discussed how to proceed. Lawyer Comans emphasised that the court should reject the new charge. According to the prosecutor nothing has actually changed. "By replacing hostage-taking by maltreatment, only a different legal label has been applied, the facts are the same," according to prosecutor Diana Roggen.

"We also want to express that we assume that Josef B. did not commit any acts of violence himself. The children are clear about that in their statements. We assume complicity, i.e. the accused facilitated the maltreatment. She refers to the fact that father Van D. had a free hand, because B. provided help and assistance.

B., who was again not in court, denies that he has done anything wrong. He sees himself as a disciple of Van D. and the persecution of him and the Ruinerwold father he sees as a witch hunt.

If the court does approve the new charges brought by the Public Prosecution Service, Moszkowicz wants to re-interview all nine children about B.'s alleged involvement in the abuses, which included kicking, hitting, strangling, letting them sleep outside in the cold and putting them in a cold bath.

"The children were extensively questioned in a studio and these allegations were also discussed. Hearing them again is really not in their interest," Roggen said. "The eldest children have let it be known that they are very reluctant to be heard again. This could harm their coping process. The welfare and health of the children should come first." She therefore asked the court not to grant this request. "Everything is already in the witness statements."

Lawyer Corinne Jeekel, who assists the oldest four children, agreed. "Recalling the memories of what happened back then should not take place. I would like to spare them that. Otherwise they will become victims of the process again, and that really shouldn't be. They have been through enough already. If they have to go through it all again, it will have a huge impact," Jeekel warned.

Also, the lawyer of Josef B. still wants to hear Ruinerwold-father Gerrit Jan van D. in this case as an important co-defendant. The fact that Van D. himself will not be given a criminal trial because he is unable to do so due to a stroke, does not stop Moszkowicz from upholding his wish to investigate. "The father is a decisive witness for my client's case and we have that right to interrogate him," the lawyer says.

The court will rule in a week's time.


BBM

 

[Niner]

Okay - I now see the difference in the charges - thanks for that info!

 

[Niner]

Thursday, Nov. 18th:
*Pretrial Review Hearing (@ CET) – Netherlands – Dutch Family (Oct. 14, 2019, at Buitenhuizerweg in Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province) – only for *Josef B. (58/now 60) (Austrian) tenant of the property (& carpenter), was arrested on 10/17/19 & appeared in court (10/17/19). He is suspected of complicity in deprivation of liberty, mistreatment and money laundering. Money laundering charge was dismissed (4/6/20). Released on 10/30/20 to await trial.
Trial was set to begin sometime in February, 2021-cancelled.
Court hearings from 12/10/20 thru 9/21/21 reference post #182 here:
Netherlands - Dutch family living in basement 9 yrs, Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province, 15 October 2019
11/11/21 Update: In September, the Public Prosecution Service presented a new, amended charge against B. This did include the years of deprivation of liberty of the children, but another crime, hostage-taking, had been replaced by maltreatment. Lawyer of ' handyman' wants to re-interview Ruinerwold children, Public Prosecutor considers this too damaging for them. If the court agrees to change the indictment against 'Ruinerwold handyman' Josef B., his lawyer wants to hear the nine children of the family as witnesses again. The judiciary considers new hearings harmful for the children & is against it. The Public Prosecution Service wants to add the charge of complicity in years of abuse to the charges against B, but according to the defense it is too late for that because the case has been going on for so long. The lawyer would also have liked to question the children during an earlier witness examination if he had known about this, he said at a hearing in September. The court will decide on 18 November whether the charge against B. can be changed.
*Gerrit-Jan van Dorsten aka John Eagles (67/now 68) (father) was arrested on Thursday (10/17/19) & appeared in court (10/21/19). He is suspected of complicity in unlawful deprivation of liberty, ill-treatment in the sense of damaging the health of others & money laundering. Money laundering charge was dismissed (4/6/20).
The Public Prosecutor dismissed the case (6/17/21). van D. was released in March after the court in Assen stopped his trial because he was not able to follow his case. Because of a stroke he is paralyzed on one side & he can hardly communicate. The compulsory admission lasts at least until 21 September. After that, the judge can extend the period once more by one year. This can be done up to a total of five years. If, according to the experts, compulsory admission is still necessary after 5 years, the period can be extended by a further two years.
Court info from 10/17/19 thru 6/17/21 reference post #182 here:
Netherlands - Dutch family living in basement 9 yrs, Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province, 15 October 2019

 

[ZaZara]

Thursday, Nov. 18th:
*Pretrial Review Hearing (@ CET) – Netherlands – Dutch Family (Oct. 14, 2019, at Buitenhuizerweg in Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province) – only for *Josef B. (58/now 60) (Austrian) tenant of the property (& carpenter), was arrested on 10/17/19 & appeared in court (10/17/19). He is suspected of complicity in deprivation of liberty, mistreatment and money laundering. Money laundering charge was dismissed (4/6/20). Released on 10/30/20 to await trial.
Trial was set to begin sometime in February, 2021-cancelled.
Court hearings from 12/10/20 thru 9/21/21 reference post #182 here:
Netherlands - Dutch family living in basement 9 yrs, Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province, 15 October 2019
11/11/21 Update: In September, the Public Prosecution Service presented a new, amended charge against B. This did include the years of deprivation of liberty of the children, but another crime, hostage-taking, had been replaced by maltreatment. Lawyer of ' handyman' wants to re-interview Ruinerwold children, Public Prosecutor considers this too damaging for them. If the court agrees to change the indictment against 'Ruinerwold handyman' Josef B., his lawyer wants to hear the nine children of the family as witnesses again. The judiciary considers new hearings harmful for the children & is against it. The Public Prosecution Service wants to add the charge of complicity in years of abuse to the charges against B, but according to the defense it is too late for that because the case has been going on for so long. The lawyer would also have liked to question the children during an earlier witness examination if he had known about this, he said at a hearing in September. The court will decide on 18 November whether the charge against B. can be changed.
*Gerrit-Jan van Dorsten aka John Eagles (67/now 68) (father) was arrested on Thursday (10/17/19) & appeared in court (10/21/19). He is suspected of complicity in unlawful deprivation of liberty, ill-treatment in the sense of damaging the health of others & money laundering. Money laundering charge was dismissed (4/6/20).
The Public Prosecutor dismissed the case (6/17/21). van D. was released in March after the court in Assen stopped his trial because he was not able to follow his case. Because of a stroke he is paralyzed on one side & he can hardly communicate. The compulsory admission lasts at least until 21 September. After that, the judge can extend the period once more by one year. This can be done up to a total of five years. If, according to the experts, compulsory admission is still necessary after 5 years, the period can be extended by a further two years.
Court info from 10/17/19 thru 6/17/21 reference post #182 here:
Netherlands - Dutch family living in basement 9 yrs, Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province, 15 October 2019

RTVDrenthe now mentions in an update that the court will rule on December 2.


OM: ‘Opnieuw verhoren Ruinerwoldkinderen kan schadelijk zijn’

 

[Niner]

RTVDrenthe now mentions in an update that the court will rule on December 2.


OM: ‘Opnieuw verhoren Ruinerwoldkinderen kan schadelijk zijn’

Thanks!

 

[Niner]

Thursday, December 2nd:
*Pretrial Review Hearing (@ CET) – Netherlands – Dutch Family (Oct. 14, 2019, at Buitenhuizerweg in Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province) – only for *Josef B. (58/now 60) (Austrian) tenant of the property (& carpenter), was arrested on Oct. 17, 2019 & appeared in court (Oct. 17, 2019). He is suspected of complicity in deprivation of liberty, mistreatment and money laundering. Money laundering charge was dismissed (April 6, 2020). Released on Oct. 30, 2020 to await trial.
Trial was set to begin sometime in February, 2021-cancelled.
Court hearings from Dec. 10, 2020 thru Nov. 11, 2021 reference post #187 here:
Netherlands - Dutch family living in basement 9 yrs, Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province, 15 October 2019
Nov. 18, 2021 Update: Review hearing moved to 12/2/21.
*Gerrit-Jan van Dorsten aka John Eagles (67/now 68) (father) was arrested on Thursday (Oct. 17, 2019) & appeared in court (Oct. 21, 2019). He is suspected of complicity in unlawful deprivation of liberty, ill-treatment in the sense of damaging the health of others & money laundering. Money laundering charge was dismissed (April 6, 2020).
The Public Prosecutor dismissed the case (June 17, 2021). van D. was released in March after the court in Assen stopped his trial because he was not able to follow his case. Because of a stroke he is paralysed on one side & he can hardly communicate. The compulsory admission lasts at least until 21 September. After that, the judge can extend the period once more by one year. This can be done up to a total of five years. If, according to the experts, compulsory admission is still necessary after 5 years, the period can be extended by a further two years.
Court info from Oct. 17, 2019 thru June 17, 2021 reference post #182 here:
Netherlands - Dutch family living in basement 9 yrs, Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province, 15 October 2019

 

[ZaZara]

Kinderen verborgen gezin Ruinerwold opnieuw gehoord

The nine children of the hidden family in Ruinerwold must be heard again about the alleged physical abuse and the role that handyman Josef B. (60) had in it. This was decided by the court on Thursday.

These new witness hearings are the result of the change in the indictment, that the court has allowed. The public prosecutor is allowed to prosecute B. also for being complicit in years of abuse and maltreatment. In response, B.'s lawyer requested that the nine children be heard again about B.'s role in the family. The prosecutor did state that B. did not abuse the children himself.

The judge is aware that the children will experience the interrogation as traumatic. They will be heard by the examining magistrate and their situation will be taken into account.

The hidden family was discovered in October 2019 when one of the children fled the farm and raised the alarm in the village. The father of the family and B. were arrested for years of deprivation of liberty and abuse of the children. Van D. preached his own religion and B. followed him closely. B. provided help and assistance and did odd jobs for this family. According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, he is therefore co-accused of deprivation of liberty and maltreatment.

The court terminated the criminal case against father Gerrit Jan van D. in March, because his health was too poor. For this reason, the request from B.'s lawyer to hear van D. again was rejected. The case against B. was to be heard in November, but had to be postponed again due to the requests of the Public Prosecution Service and the defence. It is not yet known when the substantive hearing will take place.


BBM


From another source:

It is not yet known when the case against Josef B. will be heard. According to press judge Marcel Wolters of the court in Assen it will take at least five to six months before all nine children have been heard by the examining magistrate.

Corinne Jeekel, the lawyer of the four eldest children, does not want to respond to the decision of the court.

Ruinerwoldkinderen opnieuw gehoord in strafzaak klusjesman Josef B.


BBM


IMO Everyone would be better off if the indictment had remained unchanged.

 

[Niner]

Thank you for the update @ZaZara !

 

[ZaZara]

Gerrit Jan van D. zeker nog een jaar gedwongen in zorginstelling

Gerrit Jan van D. will be involuntarily committed to a care institution for at least another year. The District Court of Gelderland confirms reports in Dagblad van het Noorden.

The 'Ruinerwold father' (68) has been compulsorily staying in a care institution since May. At the time, the judge gave a first so-called authorisation for up to six months. After that, the public prosecutor applied for a new authorisation. In a second procedure, the judge can impose such an order for a maximum of one year. That is what happened last month. The court can repeat this every year.

In March of this year, the North Netherlands District Court decided to discontinue the criminal case against Gerrit Jan van D.. At the time, the court went along with the opinion of experts and the Public Prosecution that Van D. was not capable of following a proper defence.

After Van D. was released, he went to live with his five youngest children in Ermelo. One of the children also reported sexual abuse. The Public Prosecutor's Office (OM) dismissed the report. According to the Public Prosecutor, the criminal offence was substantiated, but a compulsory hospitalisation of Van D. was preferred.

BBM

 

[ZaZara]

Ruinerwoldkinderen: 'Josef B. werd zelf mishandeld door Gerrit Jan van D.'

Children of Ruinerwold: 'Josef B. was beaten himself by Gerrit Jan van D.'

"I'm not going to say anything. I can repeat it five hundred times, but it will not change." That is what Josef B. said this morning at the beginning of the trial against him. The Ruinerwold handyman is suspected of mistreatment and deprivation of liberty of the children of Gerrit Jan van D. The family, who lived in seclusion for years on a farm in Ruinerwold, became world news when they were discovered in 2019.

Court president Elly Läkamp discussed the statements of the nine children of the Van D. family this morning. The eldest three, who were often abused by their father and isolated from the rest, fled the family before moving to Ruinerwold in 2010. All children have stated that Josef B. never hit them. He was sometimes present when they were beaten up or they sat with him in seclusion.
"B. is someone who was beaten by our father. He was not allowed to decide anything himself. So I defend him," eldest son Shin said. "He was also abused by father." Several children have stated: "Once B. was beaten very badly, because he had looked at our mother with the wrong eyes. B. accepted everything. He was really beaten up and by that I mean that he was beaten up for more than ten minutes," Shin said.

After Van D.joined the Moon sect in the 1970s, he saw himself as the new Messiah, who had to create a new world. He was the prime father, his wife - who died in 2004 - was the prime mother and the children the prime children. He wanted to prepare them for the new world. Josef B. was a follower of Van D., who did everything for him.
Austrian B., who according to him had lived permanently in the Netherlands since 2002, handed over his earnings as a furniture maker to Van D., did the shopping and converted the farm in Ruinerwold. He also made several rooms in the shed in Meppel, where the family stayed around 2009, as he had done in the house in Zwartsluis.

Without B. (61) the situation, in which the six youngest children were completely shielded from the outside world, could not have continued, several children have stated. Second son Edino: "I am 100 percent convinced that without Josef my father would not have been able to maintain the situation. He brought food and paid the rent. Otherwise we could not have stayed. Josef knew, but he did not ban us from anything and had no part in the violence."

The prosecutor also does not accuse B. of beating the children himself, but that - by helping Van D. - he made it possible for him to do so and that also applies to the deprivation of liberty. Although the youngest children have all stated that they could actually leave, but did not do so because they were not yet ready for the outside world.
Father Van D. wanted to keep the youngest children 'clean' through isolation. Because the three oldest children did go to school, they formed a kind of cover for the rest. Because they did come into contact with the outside world, they took bad spirits home with them, according to Van D. That was the reason why they were mistreated more often and isolated from the rest than the youngest six.

The youngest children have also stated that they have never had contact with B.. He himself also said this to the police after he was arrested. He took the children to the farm in Ruinerwold one night in 2010 with Van D. and never saw them again. After father Gerrit Jan van D. suffered a stroke in 2016, he did see Israel. That was his contact. It was the same Israel who ran away in October 2019, after which the family became world news.
On why he rented properties for Van D. and his children, B. explained that Van D. wanted to stay out of it because he wanted to protect his children from the outside world. "If he put them in his name, he would be known," he said. B. said he understood the choice to live so secluded with his children. "I have always supported that choice. I didn't talk to anyone about the situation, because I was always aware of the misery that would befall them. I did not want that on my conscience," B. told the police.
B. knew that by doing so he was helping to maintain the situation. He said that he shared the ideas of Van D. He said in an interrogation that the Van D. family in Ruinerwold "lived in an idyllic situation".

B. is also suspected of depriving a fellow countryman of his liberty, who - like him - worked for Van D.. In 2009, the man was allegedly assaulted, hanged and tied up by Van D. with B.'s help in the shed in Meppel where the family was staying at the time. According to B., the Austrian had gone crazy and was released and sent back to Austria when he was "normal" again.
B. lived in that shed at the time and continued to live there when the family, of which only the youngest six were still with their father, moved to Ruinerwold in 2010.


BBM

 

[ZaZara]

Israel: 'Het is onmogelijk om vrij te zijn als je niet bestaat'


Israel: 'It is impossible to be free if you do not exist'

"I think in a way we are both standing here as victims of an extremely dangerous way of thinking. A system that held us all like flies in a web. There was no room for friendships. Feelings were trampled on as if they were rubbish. And true freedom was totally unknown."
This was said by Israel, the eldest of Gerrit Jan van D.'s six children who had to live with their father in isolation for years on the farm at Buitenhuizerweg in Ruinerwold. Together with his brothers Shin and Edino, who had left the family earlier, he addressed this afternoon the court but especially handyman Josef B. in the courtroom.

B. is suspected of deprivation of liberty and ill-treatment of the children, because for years - also before the period in Ruinerwold - he rented and renovated premises for Van D. and provided the family with the necessary groceries and money. The money he earned as a carpenter he handed over to the family. Van D. was the one who robbed the children of their freedom and really mistreated them, but B. was partly responsible because he did nothing, the children claim.

Israel fled the family in October 2019, after which the big secret came out. Van D. lived as an patriarch with his children and prepared them for an existence in a new world. The family lived according to the rules of his faith. According to Josef B., the children were in fact free to go wherever they wanted, but the children experienced that very differently.
The six youngest had not been registered at birth and did not officially exist.

Israel: "There was absolutely no freedom to leave this system. No, of course there was no lock on the door! Of course there was no demarcated fence around the house that we could not physically pass through. Because there was no need for that at all."
"It was not a physical confinement. It was not a physical prison. It was the psychological and mental coercion that kept us imprisoned within the system and therefore there was really no need for any physical barrier. This mental coercion consisted of the countless threats that were built into the system."

Freedom was far from a reality, according to Israel. "We were born in the Netherlands, a free country. We lived here all our lives. And yet we did not exist for society. We were nobody, we could do nothing, we had nothing. If on a bad day we had all been buried under the ground somewhere nobody would have ever noticed."
"Because of the lack of an identity it was totally impossible to simply enter society," Israel continued. "It was impossible to live a life of freedom without having to cross enormous thresholds. It is impossible to be free if you do not exist!"

It stings him and his brothers that B. still defends Van D.'s belief and the situation they had to live in and never intervened. Eldest son Shin: "For more than two decades Josef B. has had countless opportunities to be the hero in our life story. To take action, to report a crime, to intervene, but again and again, even now, he chooses to ignore the blame and responsibility and shift it onto others. Unbelievable!"

B. heard the statements and was busy writing in the meantime, but did not want to respond afterwards. B. has not said anything all day. He invokes his right to remain silent and leaves the floor to his lawyer Yehudi Moszkowicz.


BBM

 

[ZaZara]

Vier jaar cel tegen Josef B. geëist: 'Cruciale rol in systeem Ruinerwoldgezin'


Prosecutor demands four years in prison for Josef B.: 'Crucial role in Ruinerwold family system'

For involvement in abuse and deprivation of liberty of the children of the farm family from Ruinerwold, the judiciary tonight demanded four years in prison against handyman Josef B. According to the Public Prosecutor's Office [OM], B. had a "crucial role" in the crimes committed by father Gerrit Jan van D. "His role is many times bigger than that of handyman. He has made a substantial contribution to the deprivation of liberty and maltreatment."

The nine children of religious fanatic Gerrit Jan van D. lived isolated from the outside world for years. They lived in Hasselt, Zwartsluis, Staphorst, Meppel and for the last nine years in Ruinerwold. The family went to live there in 2010: Van D. with his youngest six children, whom he has always kept hidden from the outside world. The eldest three had already run away. Their father had ordered them to keep quiet about the existence of their six brothers and sisters, who had never been registered with the civil registry.

Van D. saw himself as the patriarch, the new Messiah, and his children as prime children. He prepared them for life in a new world. Josef B. was a supporter of Van D. He rented and rebuilt premises for the Ruinerwold father and did the shopping, from which the family lived. Furthermore, he handed over the money he earned as a carpenter to the family.
The four eldest children stated that they were not only kept away from the outside world, but were also mistreated by their father. This included beating them, squeezing their throats until they were unconscious and putting them in cold water, but also withholding medical care. The children never went to the family doctor or the dentist. If, according to him, they had a bad spirit in them, they were also isolated from the rest and not given food or drink for a long time.

According to the Public Prosecutor, B. (61) had a crucial role in the continuation of the system in which the nine children had to grow up. "Father Van D. also wrote himself out of the municipal basic administration before moving to Ruinerwold. So he no longer existed, only B. was the link to the outside world," according to public prosecutor Diana Roggen.


"He knew that the situation with the hidden children was illegal and that the government would not approve. B. put companies in his name, looked for and rented a farm in Ruinerwold, maintained family and worked daily in the vegetable garden. He kept them hidden," Roggen continued.
"To the police, B. stated that that was his job and that he had agreed this with Van D. This shows the cooperation. He is well aware that it would not have been possible without him. I made sure that they could live like this,' he told the police. His role goes far beyond complicity, doing a job now and then."

B. saw himself as a disciple of Van D., but is definitely not a victim, Roggen emphasised, because the Austrian made the choicehimself, in contrast to the children. The OM also states that he is co-responsible for the deprivation of liberty of a fellow countryman who also worked for Van D.. He was tied up by B. and Van D., hanged and then locked up for a long time with hardly any food.

The prosecution assumes that B. is fully accountable. The Austrian man refused to cooperate with an investigation in the Pieter Baan Centre, which meant that the investigators could not determine whether he was suffering from a disorder, for example. He spent a total of one year in pre-trial detention. After that he was allowed to await the trial in freedom. That year should be deducted from the final prison sentence, according to the Public Prosecution Service. Prosecutors do demand that he must go back into prison immediately after the verdict, if the court has sentenced him.

B. has denied the accusations from the beginning. He thinks that the Public Prosecutor prosecuted him and Van D. because of their faith. Prosecutor Gerard Veenstra contradicted this tonight, because according to him everyone is free to believe what he wants. "But that freedom is not completely unlimited either. The faith initiated by father Van D., to which B. also lived, has gone off the rails", he added. And the nine children have suffered the consequences, according to the OM.

The prosecutors base their evidence on the statements of all nine children, who were questioned by the police and later twice by the examining magistrate in Assen. Also diaries of Gerrit Jan van D. were found, in which he literally describes situations that the children also testified about. Among other things, this concerned the maltreatment and imprisonment of the children. In addition, a lot of footage was found, recorded by the self-proclaimed patriarch. Images of this were also shown in the documentary De Kinderen van Ruinerwold, in which the four eldest children participated.

About the deprivation of liberty, prosecutor Gerard Veenstra explained that this does not have to mean that the children were literally locked up. The eldest three children, Shin, Mar Jan and Edino, were also able to leave before moving to Ruinerwold. "Deprivation of freedom can take place in the classical form by locking someone up, but also, for example, by making someone believe that their life is over when they leave the property."

"The youngest six children were not registered, they did not actually exist. That choice was made for them. They never participated in society. Neither did the oldest three children. They did go to school, but had to go straight home, were not allowed to go on school trips and were not allowed to meet up with friends," says Veenstra.

"Nobody was able to develop a different opinion or belief. They were locked up in the family system. Father, mother (who died in 2004, ed.) or Josef B. were always around. Thinking differently was not possible. If you have to live like that, you don't have to be literally locked up to be robbed of your freedom. The system functioned as a figurative lock on the door."

Lawyer Yehudi Moszkowicz, who attempted to have the court overruled this afternoon, pleaded for an acquittal. He emphasised that the actions of the Ruinerwold father cannot be blamed on Josef B. He also mentioned that B. himself was mistreated by Van D.. "He has put his life at the service of the family."

The case is expected to continue until at least ten o'clock this evening. It is not yet known when the court will rule.


BBM

 

[ZaZara]

Tweets by André Spaansen ( @APCAndre ), reporter De Telegraaf

https://twitter.com/x/status/1523726160521166848

Counsel starts the plea.

Lawyer Yehudi Moszkowicz starts with a question. He sees also involvement of the oldest children in the abuse of each other and the youngest children. Why are the oldest three not prosecuted? 'They were aware and were also outside the farm.'

The counsel points out that, as far as he is concerned, it has taken a very long time to get to this hearing today. 'It's like the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the church that may never be finished. Investigating officers have even been to Austria.'

Moszkowicz points out (as others did earlier) that B. is not the main suspect. He is not the father of the children... who suffered a stroke. In a case that was so widely covered by the world press. The danger of 'trial by media' lurks.'

B. received blows, was almost scalped, a beer bottle was smashed on his head'. The intensity of the prosecution in view of his role and position is 'below standard' as far as the lawyer is concerned.

The lawyer does not think 'that the children make a tormented impression'. Moreover, a number of them have detached themselves from the family.

Counsel wonders if the lifestyle was really that bad. He sees parallels with a chess family that produced great talents or with the family of the tennis sisters Williams. 'Were the children deprived of their freedom?'

Counsel now discusses his views on medical freedoms (such as refusing vaccination), self-determination in areas such as religion and the evidential value of documents and video material. (Discovered material was often bizarre, as shown in the media earlier).

Lawyer asks series of questions about the value of the statements and the evidential value they may or may not provide.

Some of the statements are coloured by resentment towards the father, who we cannot question because of his health condition'. People lock themselves up for all sorts of things, according to the lawyer. And voluntarily, therefore not punishable.'

'It is unfortunate that he is being blamed for renting the farm. It actually provided better living conditions,' the lawyer says. One of the children also mentioned this in their statements.

B. had been away from the Netherlands for years (years ago) and had only returned. 'How can you have been a co-perpetrator, that he might have known afterwards that there was no registration?'

The accused was imprisoned for a year, the lawyer recalled. 'While he wanted to improve the situation. And (children) state that he did not mistreat them.'

Older children were above B. in the hierarchy, the counselor believes. He could not give them orders, but the other way round they could.

Counselor adds: 'The measures (such as the fence) were not meant to keep the children inside, but others outside. They knew what was going on outside and it was not the intention to keep them inside all the time.

B. did not use violence and did not instigate it. In recent years he had no contact with Van D., who had difficulty communicating with the children. How can he be considered a co-perpetrator?' the lawyer wonders.

Moszkowicz says he is going to finish and makes a late final sprint. B. was arrested for obstruction, while he had no keys to give. He was in fact not allowed to have them either (as landlord). 'There cannot have been close cooperation with Van D.'

The client has lost everything. He is still suffering to this day. He sleeps in a room that is smaller than the cell he was in for 180 days', says the lawyer. He pleads largely for acquittal of the charges. Four years is far too much.

'B. has wanted to do the right thing. Those expensive 180 days and the loss of everything he lost should be enough.'

Ten minutes adjournment now.

In the meantime it has become warm in the courtroom, the court observes.

The session has been going for twelve hours now.

The public prosecutor indicates that it is 'painful' for her that the counsel started talking about the alleged role of the children. 'They have testified in vulnerability. They were born into a system, which is different with B. He has chosen it at an adult age.'

Moszkowicz also thinks it is 'a painful case, but turned 180 degrees. It is also painful that the children were not allowed to stay in their safe environment, which they wanted, but have now had fifteen places to stay. They have been transferred from place to place.'

B. briefly has the last word: 'I did my best to help those people. The government has raged over me. Stuff was taken from my workplace. The media joined in, the *advertiser censored* story about the children in the basement became world news', he says agitated.

B. says he wanted to bring out his own story. It didn't work out. 'I'm done with it.'

Verdict on June 14.


BBM

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, June 14th:
*Trial Verdict (@ CET) – Netherlands – Dutch Family (Oct. 14, 2019, at Buitenhuizerweg in Ruinerwold, Drenthe Province) – only for *Josef B. (58/now 60) (Austrian) tenant of the property (& carpenter), was arrested on October 17, 2019 & appeared in court (Oct. 17, 2019). He is suspected of complicity in deprivation of liberty, mistreatment and money laundering. Money laundering charge was dismissed (April 6, 2020). Released on Oct. 10, 2020 to await trial.
Trial began & ended on May 9, 2022.
Court hearings from Dec. 10, 2020 thru Nov. 11, 2021 reference post #187 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...enthe-province-15-october-2019.479800/page-10
Nov. 18, 2021 Update: Review hearing moved to Dec. 2, 2021. Dec. 2, 2021 Update: The nine children of the hidden family in Ruinerwold must be heard again about the alleged physical abuse 7 the role that handyman Josef B. had in it. This was decided by the court on Thursday. These new witness hearings are the result of the change in the indictment, that the court has allowed. The public prosecutor is allowed to prosecute B. also for being complicit in years of abuse & maltreatment. In response, B.'s lawyer requested that the nine children be heard again about B.'s role in the family. The prosecutor did state that B. did not abuse the children himself. The court terminated the criminal case against father Gerrit Jan van D. in March, because his health was too poor. For this reason, the request from B.'s lawyer to hear van D. again was rejected. The case against B. was to be heard in November, but had to be postponed again due to the requests of the Public Prosecution Service & the defense. It is not yet known when the substantive hearing will take place. According to press Judge Marcel Wolters of the court in Assen it will take at least five to six months before all nine children have been heard by the examining magistrate. Corinne Jeekel, the lawyer of the four eldest children, does not want to respond to the decision of the court.
May 9, 2022 Update: Trial started on May 9, 2022.
for more info see posts #194 to 197 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...enthe-province-15-october-2019.479800/page-10
For involvement in abuse & deprivation of liberty of the children of the farm family from Ruinerwold, the judiciary tonight demanded 4 years in prison against handyman Josef B. According to the Public Prosecutor's Office [OM], B. had a "crucial role" in the crimes committed by father Gerrit Jan van D. "His role is many times bigger than that of handyman. He has made a substantial contribution to the deprivation of liberty & maltreatment." He spent a total of one year in pretrial detention. After that he was allowed to await the trial in freedom. That year should be deducted from the final prison sentence, according to the Public Prosecution Service. Prosecutors do demand that he must go back into prison immediately after the verdict, if the court has sentenced him. Lawyer Yehudi Moszkowicz, who attempted to have the Court overruled this afternoon, pleaded for an acquittal. He emphasized that the actions of the Ruinerwold father cannot be blamed on Josef B. He also mentioned that B. himself was mistreated by Van D. "He has put his life at the service of the family." Verdict will be on June 14, 2022.
*Gerrit-Jan van Dorsten aka John Eagles (67/now 68) (father) was arrested on Thursday (10/17/19) & appeared in court (Oct. 21, 2019). He is suspected of complicity in unlawful deprivation of liberty, ill-treatment in the sense of damaging the health of others & money laundering. Money laundering charge was dismissed (April, 6, 2020).
The Public Prosecutor dismissed the case (June 17, 2021). van D. was released in March after the court in Assen stopped his trial because he was not able to follow his case. Because of a stroke he is paralyzed on one side & he can hardly communicate. The compulsory admission lasts at least until 21 September. After that, the judge can extend the period once more by one year. This can be done up to a total of five years. If, according to the experts, compulsory admission is still necessary after 5 years, the period can be extended by a further two years.
Court info from Oct. 17, 2019 thru June 17, 2021 reference post #182 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...enthe-province-15-october-2019.479800/page-10
Jan. 25, 2022 Update: Gerrit Jan van D. will be involuntarily committed to a care institution for at least another year. The District Court of Gelderland confirms reports in Dagblad van het Noorden. The 'Ruinerwold father' (68) has been compulsorily staying in a care institution since May. At the time, the judge gave a first so-called authorization for up to six months. After that, the public prosecutor applied for a new authorization. In a second procedure, the judge can impose such an order for a maximum of one year. That is what happened last month. The court can repeat this every year.

 

[ZaZara]

De ’klusjesman van Ruinerwold’ krijgt drie jaar cel

The 'handyman of Ruinerwold' sentenced to three years in prison

The handyman of Ruinerwold, Josef B. (61), was sentenced to three years in prison. Josef B. is seen as an accessory to years of depriving the children of Gerrit Jan van D. of their freedom.

BBM


In detail:

Josef B. must serve three years in prison for depriving the youngest six children of Gerrit Jan van D. in Ruinerwold of their freedom.

B. was also convicted for the deprivation of the liberty of a fellow countryman in 2009. He and Van D. hanged him in a shed in Meppel and then locked him up in a cage for weeks.

B. was acquitted of involvement in the maltreatment of the children. According to the court, it has not been proven that he supported this. The court also acquitted him of depriving the oldest three children of their freedom. According to the court, they were free to leave, in contrast to the youngest six.


Josef B. veroordeeld voor vrijheidsberoving Ruinerwoldkinderen

BBM



From the Court papers:

All things considered, the court is of the opinion that imprisonment for a term of three years is appropriate and necessary, minus the time the accused has already spent in pre-trial detention.

 

[ZaZara]

Nog geen einde aan zaak Ruinerwold: Josef B. gaat in hoger beroep

No end to the Ruinerwold case yet: Josef B. to appeal

Josef B. does not resign himself to the sentence he was given by the court this afternoon for depriving the six children who were hidden with their father on a farm in Ruinerwold of their freedom. So says his lawyer Yehudi Moszkowicz .

"We do not agree with the conviction, because we believe that Josef B. has done nothing criminal," Yehudi Moszkowicz reacts on behalf of his client. "So there is no end to this case yet, unfortunately." B. has acknowledged that he knew about the hidden children, but has also always maintained that he did nothing wrong.

BBM