International pop star Dean Lewis has accused a Dutch woman he briefly dated of manipulating raunchy texts between the pair to portray him as violent and abusive.
The Sydney-born singer-songwriter has launched legal action against 25-year-old Sanne van Ooijen, who in December last year posted a TikTok video showing a picture of a badly bruised buttock.
Ms van Ooijen claimed the injured bottom was hers and the raised red marks were inflicted by 38-year-old Lewis when she would not call him her 'God'.
The video was overlaid with selected texts from a December 2023 conversation between Ms van Ooijen and Lewis, including him telling her, 'U need to be dominated.'
The video omitted Ms van Ooijen's response to that remark: 'I do. Dominate me.'
Lewis's lawyers say they have reviewed thousands of WhatsApp messages between their client and Ms van Ooijen and found no reference to him ever asking her to call him 'God'.
They say the messages do show extensive discussions about consensual sexual roleplay, including Ms van Ooijen repeatedly requesting dominance and spanking.
In May 2024 - five months after the TikTok texts were sent - Ms van Ooijen addressed Lewis as 'Daddyyy' in another sexually charged text conversation.
Pop star Dean Lewis has accused Dutch woman Sanne van Ooijen of manipulating their texts to portray him as violent and abusive. Lewis is seen with Ms van Ooijen, whom he briefly dated
Ms van Ooijen posted a picture of a bruised bottom on TikTok, saying it was hers. The 25-year-old claimed 38-year-old Lewis hit her on the backside when she would not call him her 'God'
She also sent a photo of herself standing side-on in activewear, writing: 'And I want you to spank my ass like you did in Amsterdam.'
Lewis's lawyers allege Ms van Ooijen manipulated the TikTok texts to disguise her consent and enthusiasm for activities such as being spanked.
They further allege Ms van Ooijen has in the past admitted making false allegations about Lewis and apologised to him.
Lewis has recently begun to hit back at what he describes as a sustained online campaign of false allegations of criminal conduct against women and underage girls.
The Waves hitmaker has engaged lawyers in Australia, the UK, the US and the Netherlands, who have sent legal letters to four women in a coordinated response to the claims.
In the past 15 months, Lewis has sold out venues on three continents, including Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, OVO Arena Wembley in London and Sydney's TikTok Entertainment Centre.
Lewis has freely admitted to being 'flirty with adult women of all different ages, in-person, online and over text', but vehemently denies having done anything illegal.
'Occasionally, that flirting leads to consensual intimate encounters that I thought were private,' he posted on Instagram late last year when the claims of inappropriate behaviour first surfaced.
Lewis's lawyers say Ms van Ooijen (above) had extensive discussions about consensual sexual roleplay, which included her repeatedly requesting dominance and spanking
In May 2024, she sent Lewis the above photo of herself standing side-on in activewear, writing: 'And I want you to spank my ass like you did in Amsterdam'
A source close to Lewis previously told the Daily Mail 'selectively edited material and unverified allegations' made against the award-winning artist had been 'weaponised at scale'.
'Dean has been upfront publicly that he hasn't always behaved perfectly in aspects of his personal life,' the source said. 'But he draws a very firm line in the sand at criminal allegations of non-consensual or underage conduct.'
Ms van Ooijen, who lives in Lelystad, a small city outside Amsterdam, dated Lewis for several weeks in mid-2023 while he was in Europe on a world tour.
According to Lewis, the pair continued a 'friends with benefits' arrangement with regular communication which sometimes featured sexual fantasy.
Correspondence between the pair shows Ms van Ooijen describing herself as Lewis's 'best friend' and 'the love of his life', but he insists she was never his girlfriend.
Lewis says he terminated all contact with Ms van Ooijen on December 10 last year and within days she began posting allegations she had been in an abusive relationship online.
On December 19, Ms van Ooijen published the TikTok video, which featured the picture she claimed was of her bruised right buttock.
Lewis (above) has recently begun to hit back at what he describes as a sustained online campaign of false allegations of criminal conduct against women and underage girls
Lewis's lawyers allege Ms van Ooijen (above) manipulated text messages to disguise her consent and enthusiasm for activities such as being spanked
The text messages Ms van Ooijen used in that video came from a conversation she had with Lewis on December 9, 2023 - almost exactly two years earlier.
After Ms van Ooijen said, 'Dominate me', Lewis replied, 'You really need that.'
Lewis: 'When I call u u put down what ur doing.'
Lewis: 'And u call me.'
Ms van Ooijen: 'Yes I will, I'm sorry daddy.'
In another conversation two days before the video texts, Ms van Ooijen had told Lewis, 'I like the dominant vibe.'
A day after that, Ms van Ooijen texted Lewis: 'And can do whatever you want to me, you can be both gentle and dominant.'
On December 10, 2023, Lewis assured Ms van Ooijen she was not obliged to engage in any roleplay she did not enjoy, and she should not do it just for his benefit.
In the past 15 months Lewis has sold out venues on three continents, including Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, OVO Arena Wembley in London and Sydney's TikTok Entertainment Centre
![Ms van Ooijen wrote of the bruised bottom picture: 'And mind you, those weren't scratches [crying emoji] this is the result of hitting me because i didn't do what he wanted me to do. (saying that "he's my God)"'](/images/2026/03/01/75723c7045bd498d8f8ac62a554578d1.jpg)
Ms van Ooijen wrote of the bruised bottom picture: 'And mind you, those weren't scratches [crying emoji] this is the result of hitting me because i didn't do what he wanted me to do. (saying that "he's my God)"'
Lewis: 'Also all this sexual stuff is just fantasy that you keep saying you love.'
Lewis: 'You know you don't have to do any of it. Or just pretend u like it just for me.'
Ms van Ooijen: 'I'm not pretending any of it, I've always been honest with you.'
Lewis: 'Ok.'
Lewis: 'Just making sure.'
Lewis: 'U don't ever have to do anything you don't wana do.'
Ms van Ooijen followed up her December 19 TikTok video featuring the image of her bruised bottom with an Instagram post.
She stated: 'And mind you, those weren't scratches [crying emoji] this is the result of hitting me because i didn't do what he wanted me to do. (saying that "he's my God)".'
Ms van Ooijen, who lives in Lelystad, a small city outside Amsterdam, dated Lewis for several weeks in mid-2023 while he was in Europe on a world tour. She is pictured above
That claim was then reposted by 19-year-old British woman Evie Smith to her 90,000 TikTok followers.
'Your favorite artist hits girls until they call him god (seven nausea emojis) how are people defending this behavior,' Ms Smith wrote.
She also said: 'The bruises have been posted for all those who think there's not enough evidence, and she's not the only one with bruises from him.'
On October 26, Ms Smith had published a TikTok clip of what Lewis alleges was selectively edited and spliced parts of two private conversations between him and a woman. The clip was viewed 12 million times.
Claims that Lewis had behaved inappropriately towards women subsequently escalated into allegations of sexual assault and grooming underage girls.
Ms Smith, who had been one of Lewis's most influential global fans, has also recently received a concerns notice from the musician's lawyers.
The concerns notice sent to Ms Smith states her TikTok video defamed Lewis by portraying him as a sexual predator.
It further alleges the recording wrongly suggests Lewis engages in sexually predatory conduct toward underage girls and has unlawful sexual communications with minors.
Evie Smith, a 19-year-old British woman who until late last year had been one of Lewis's most influential global fans, has also recently received a concerns notice from his lawyers
Lewis's lawyers first wrote to Ms van Ooijen on December 20, accusing her of publishing material that was false, misleading and seriously defamatory of their client.
Their demands included that Ms van Ooijen cease and desist publishing any such material and remove all posts, videos, images or other content referring to Lewis.
'The publications and conduct complained of are not accidental or inadvertent,' Lewis's lawyers wrote.
'They form part of a deliberate course of action directed at damaging Mr Lewis's reputation, personal relationships and professional standing.
'Your current conduct is rendered more serious by the fact that, on previous occasions, you have expressly admitted to making false allegations about Mr Lewis and have apologised for that conduct.'
Lewis alleges that despite being warned, Ms van Ooijen continued to contact and encourage third parties to repeat false allegations about him.
He has now commenced legal action against Ms van Ooijen in the Netherlands.
Ms van Ooijen has been contacted for comment. Ms Smith, who is understood to be in South America with her 31-year-old boyfriend, has told the Daily Mail she wants 'nothing to do' with any story about her own conduct.
Lewis alleges that despite being warned, Ms van Ooijen (above) continued to contact and encourage third parties to repeat false allegations about him
Following the publication of Ms Smith's TikTok video, several women claimed Lewis had made them uncomfortable with his advances.
Four days after the video was aired, Lewis responded to the allegations on social media.
'I want to share some thoughts on the recent posts about me on social media. I understand why people are angry and disappointed after learning embarrassing details of intimate private conversations,' he said on Instagram.
'About relationships I've had with consenting adults over the past decade, I want to emphasise none of this is illegal.
'The individuals leading the campaign against me have repeatedly acknowledged this, and I'm hurt by any suggestion that I've done things that have crossed into illegality.'
Lewis, who followed the huge success of Waves in 2016 with his 2019 hit Be Alright, stressed he had never wanted to make any woman uncomfortable.
'From the bottom of my heart, I want to sincerely apologise to those I've hurt,' he continued.
'I also need to apologise to my family and fans who I've gravely disappointed.'
Lewis had also taken steps to ensure any unwanted behaviour was not repeated.
'I am enrolling myself in intense therapy to make better choices and dramatically shift my approach to dating and relationships,' he said.
'In time I hope to re-earn the trust of those I've hurt.'
