Ex-mayor ‘caught masturbating behind the wheel’ claims he was ‘rubbing poorly tummy’
A former mayor claims he was only soothing a tummy ache after being accused of exposing himself at the wheel, as he appeals his three-figure fine
Koen Schuiling was convicted of indecent exposure(Image: ANP/Shutterstock)
A former mayor accused of masturbating behind the wheel has claimed he was simply soothing an upset stomach. Koen Schuiling, 67, was slapped with a €250 (£212) fine after being convicted of indecent exposure while driving along the A7 motorway between Hoogezand and Groningen in the Netherlands.
The ex-politician has now launched an appeal against the ruling, insisting he is innocent, reports NL Times. A court heard a trucker spotted Schuiling driving alongside him with his vehicle’s interior light switched on in March 2024.
The milk lorry driver claimed he saw the former Groningen mayor with his trousers unzipped and holding his private parts.
Koen Schuiling outside court(Image: ANP/Shutterstock)
Giving evidence to an examining magistrate, the witness said: “I can still see it clearly. I saw unmistakably that he had his genitals in his hand.”
The trucker confronted Schuiling after the alleged incident and recorded their conversation, in which the politician claimed he was urgently searching for a quiet spot to have a wee.
However, Schuiling strongly denies any wrongdoing and insists the entire situation was a huge misunderstanding caused by a sudden bout of severe stomach pain.
He was fined by the court(Image: ANP/Shutterstock)
Speaking at the appeal court in Zwolle, Schuiling said: “To ease the pain, I loosened my belt and lowered my zipper slightly. I rubbed my lower abdomen with my hand. That is what happened. I did not take my trousers off, nor did I pull up my shirt.”
Prosecutors are pushing for the original €250 fine to be upheld, arguing that public officials should be held to a higher standard. “A mayor is expected to follow the rules more closely than anyone else,” the attorney general told the court.
Defence lawyers argued the lorry driver could not have seen the event clearly enough, branding his statement unreliable and demanding a full acquittal.
The case took another twist when the presiding judge banned courtroom artists from sketching Schuiling to protect his privacy – a decision described as unprecedented for a public official in Dutch legal history.
Schuiling stepped down from his post as mayor in October 2024 following mounting pressure surrounding the scandal.
Addressing the packed court, he said: “Apart from that, I have been cancelled. I want my good name restored. I did not do this.” The appeal continues.
