MIRIAM VANDERZWALMEN FROM PLYMOUTH CAUGHT IN DISTURBING ONLINE INCIDENT INVOLVING A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL
In a case that has shocked the local community of Plymouth, Miriam Vanderzwalmen, a 21-year-old woman residing on Cecil Avenue in the Mount Gould area, has been found guilty of serious online misconduct involving a minor.The incident dates back to September 2012, when Vanderzwalmen was involved in activities that included showing an indecent image to a child and actively procuring a young girl to produce an indecent image of herself.
Following her conviction, Vanderzwalmen was sentenced to an 18-month community order.
This sentence requires her to remain under probation supervision and complete 80 hours of unpaid work.
Additionally, she was ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs, reflecting the court’s stance on her actions.
The magistrates emphasized the importance of rehabilitation and accountability in this case, but also kept open the possibility of further legal action, including custody, should circumstances warrant.
The case first came to light through the court proceedings in July 2012, when it was revealed that Vanderzwalmen, a student at Plymouth University, had engaged in a disturbing exchange of indecent images with a 13-year-old girl.
The young girl, from the North West of England, had initially made contact with Vanderzwalmen via an online fan forum dedicated to the singer Pink, a pop star with a significant following among young fans.
According to the evidence presented by the Crown Prosecution Service, Vanderzwalmen and the girl exchanged numerous explicit images—approximately 40 from each side—over a period spanning from May 1 to October 1 of the previous year.
The images were at the lower end of the severity scale for indecent images, but their exchange was nonetheless deemed a serious offense.
Court officials clarified that Vanderzwalmen was aware of the girl’s age but continued the online relationship, which developed into a disturbing pattern of communication.
Prosecutor Michael French explained that Vanderzwalmen sent the girl indecent photographs of herself, which the girl reciprocated with similar images.
The court was informed that Vanderzwalmen deleted these images from her computer, and there was no evidence to suggest she explicitly requested the images from the girl.
The relationship was uncovered when the girl’s parents grew suspicious after receiving a gift from Vanderzwalmen, prompting an investigation.
Defense lawyer David Teague highlighted that Vanderzwalmen had no prior convictions and had cooperated fully with police investigations, providing full admissions as early as October of the previous year.
The magistrates decided to adjourn sentencing to allow a probation officer to prepare a comprehensive report on her background.
Vanderzwalmen was granted conditional bail and is scheduled to return to court on August 23 for further proceedings.
Magistrate Janet Gorman stated that all options, including the possibility of custody or referral to Plymouth Crown Court, remain on the table as the case continues to be reviewed.
