WARNING: This article contains details about sexual extortion and may affect those who have experienced it or know someone who has.
The 44-year-old Dutch man convicted of sexually extorting a BC teenager who killed himself a decade ago was sentenced Friday to 13 years in prison.
BC Supreme Court Justice Martha Devlin asked Aydin Coban to stand as she read her final decision, after detailing the arguments presented by the Crown and the defense and explaining her deliberation process.
Coban was convicted in August of extortion, two counts of possession of child pornography, child attraction and criminal harassment against Amanda Todd.
Todd’s story of being exploited online from November 2009 to February 2012 traveled around the world. He committed suicide on 10 October 2012, after uploading a nine-minute video detailing the abuse he suffered and how it had affected his life in a series of flash cards.
Standing outside the courthouse Friday afternoon, Amanda’s mother, Carol Todd, described the moment she heard the sentence.
“It was just an awesome moment,” he said. “Just as impressive as August 6 when I heard the five guilty pleas.”
During sentencing, Devlin detailed how Coban used 22 different aliases to chat with Amanda Todd on Facebook, YouTube and Skype, demanding webcam programs. He sent her more than 700 messages and made “persistent online threats,” according to Devlin.
Coban threatened to send pictures and videos of Todd in compromising positions to his friends and family.
“When Amanda refused to comply with his demands, Mr Coban carried out his threats,” Judge Devlin said, detailing a series of threats Coban made through various aliases to both Todd, his family as well as their friends.
Coban posted and shared suggestive and pornographic images of Todd on Facebook, in YouTube comments and uploaded them to image hosting sites. He also used some of his alias accounts to impersonate a young friend and a concerned adult in separate instances, claiming to be concerned about their online behavior.
Devlin said that while he did not find that Coban’s behavior was the “dominant factor” in his suicide, as the Crown claimed, he did find that it caused “profound harm” that contributed to his mental health problems, depression and substance use.
“Ruining Amanda’s life was Mr. Coban’s expressly stated goal, and unfortunately, it was one he succeeded in,” he said.
Amanda Todd committed suicide on October 10, 2012, after posting a video on YouTube saying she had been blackmailed by an online predator. (Telus Originals)
“Today is justice for Amanda,” says the mother
Before the hearing, Carol Todd said her heart was beating “a million beats a minute” awaiting the sentence and she feels her daughter has been granted her wish to help other vulnerable young children.
“It has set case law precedents for all other cases that could go to trial,” he said. “It sets the bar … and for those predators, who victimize children, we hope they don’t get lenient sentences.”
Tears fill Carol Todd’s eyes after the sentencing of Aydin Coban in New Westminster, BC on Friday, October 14, 2022. Coban Will was sentenced to 13 years in a Canadian prison for sex extortion of ‘Amanda Todd. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
Todd recounted the 13 years since Amanda was first victimized by Coban, and the ten years since her daughter’s death. She said she has persevered to make sure Amanda’s story is shared with the world and that as many people as possible are aware of so-called “extortion” and online predators.
“Today is justice for Amanda, justice for all children,” she said.
“I can’t bring Amanda back. But with Amanda’s story we can save others.”
Todd said the sentence doesn’t necessarily bring a sense of closure to her devastating loss, but it does allow her to start a new chapter as an advocate. After the trial is over, she plans to focus more of her energy on raising awareness about online sexual exploitation and working to prevent other young people from becoming victims.
Accountability is “encouraging,” advocates say.
In a statement, the Canadian Center for Child Protection (CCCP) said its “hearts go out to the Todd family” following Friday’s sentencing.
The CCCP said it is “encouraging that the Canadian justice system has done its part to hold the offender accountable for these crimes,” adding that it hopes more of these types of offenders will see the same consequences.
“Canadian children are increasingly prey to digital environments, both here and abroad,” the statement said. The CCCP says Canadians “owe it to Amanda Todd” for demanding regulatory and safety standards for online services and platforms that children use every day.
The BC Prosecution Service also issued a statement thanking the judicial authorities and police forces in British Columbia, Canada, the Netherlands, the US, Australia and the UK, who helped them conclude a “difficult and complex prosecution “.
In his conclusion, Devlin warned young people about the dangers of using the internet and how easily adults can hide their identity when interacting with vulnerable children.
Coban was extradited to Canada to stand trial and is currently serving time in the Netherlands for similar crimes against different victims. He will serve his Canadian sentence after his release there.
Support is available to anyone who has been sexually assaulted. You can access crisis lines and local support services through this Government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database. If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety or the safety of others around you, call 911.
If you or someone you know is struggling, here’s where to find help:
This guide of the Center for Addictions and Mental Health explains how to talk about suicide with someone you care about.