The 44-year-old Dutch man convicted of sexually assaulting a BC teenager who killed himself a decade ago was sentenced to 13 years in prison Friday. BC Supreme Court Justice Martha Devlin asked Aydin Koban to stand as her final decision was read after she detailed the arguments presented by the Crown and the defense and explained her deliberation process. Coban was convicted in August of extortion, two counts of possession of child pornography, child enticement and criminal harassment against Amanda Todd. Todd’s story of online exploitation from November 2009 to February 2012 traveled the world. She died by suicide on 10 October 2012 after uploading a nine-minute video detailing the abuse she experienced and how it had affected her life in a series of flash cards. Standing outside court Friday afternoon, Amanda’s mother, Carol Todd, described the moment she heard the sentence. “It was just a breathtaking moment,” he said. “As exciting as on August 6 when I heard the five guilty.” During sentencing, Devlin explained how Coban used 22 different aliases to chat with Amanda Todd on Facebook, YouTube and Skype, demanding webcam broadcasts. He sent her more than 700 messages and made “persistent online threats,” according to Devlin. Coban threatened to send compromising images and videos of Todd to her friends and family. “When Amanda refused to comply with his demands, Mr. Coban followed through on his threats,” Judge Devlin said, detailing a series of threats made by Coban under various aliases to Todd, her family and 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 pseudonymous accounts to pose as a young boyfriend and as a concerned adult on various occasions, claiming to be concerned about her behavior online. Devlin said while she did not believe Coban’s behavior was the “dominant factor” in her suicide, as the Crown alleges, she found it caused “profound damage” that contributed to her mental health issues, depression and substance use. “Destroying Amanda’s life was Mr Coban’s clearly stated aim and it was, unfortunately, one he succeeded in,” he said. Amanda Todd took her own life 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 mom
Before the hearing, Carol Todd said her heart was beating “a million beats a minute” awaiting the sentence and that she felt her daughter had fulfilled her wish to help other vulnerable young children. “It has set legal precedents for all other cases that may come to trial,” he said. “It sets the bar … and for those predators who victimize children, we hope they don’t get lenient sentences.” Carol Todd’s eyes fill with tears after the sentencing of Aydin Coban in New Westminster, BC, Friday, October 14, 2022. Coban will be sentenced to 13 years in prison in Canada for sexually extorting Amanda Todd. (Ben Nelms/CBC) Todd recounted the 13 years since Amanda first died from Coban and the ten years since her daughter’s death. She said she was pushing to make sure Amanda’s story was shared with the world and that as many people as possible knew about so-called “blackmail” 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 conviction doesn’t necessarily bring a sense of closure to her devastating loss, but allows her to start a new chapter as an advocate. With the trial complete, 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 perpetrator accountable for these offences,” adding that it hopes more of these types of offenders will face the same consequences. “Canadian children are increasingly being preyed upon in digital environments, both here and abroad,” the statement said. The CCCP says Canadians “owe it to Amanda Todd” to demand regulations and safety standards for online services and platforms that children use every day. The BC Attorney’s Office also issued a statement thanking judicial authorities and police forces in British Columbia, Canada, the Netherlands, the US, Australia and the United Kingdom for helping them complete a “difficult and complex prosecution.” In her conclusion, Devlin warned young people about the dangers of using the internet and the ease with which adults can hide their identity when interacting with vulnerable children. Coban was extradited to Canada to stand trial and is currently serving a sentence in the Netherlands for similar offenses against different victims. There he will serve his sentence in Canada after his release. Support is available for 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 you can get help: This guide from the Addiction and Mental Health Center describes how to talk about suicide with someone you are worried about.
