Saturday, June 1, 2024
ADVT 
National

Crown begins closing in B.C. extortion trial

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 26 Jul, 2022 12:25 PM
  • Crown begins closing in B.C. extortion trial

Crown and defence counsel have finished calling evidence in the British Columbia Supreme Court trial for the Dutch man accused of harassing and extorting teenager Amanda Todd before she died a decade ago.

Aydin Coban pleaded not guilty at the jury trial in New Westminster to charges of extortion, harassment, communication with a young person to commit a sexual offence and possessing child pornography.

Crown attorney Kristen LeNoble began closing arguments by telling jurors she would spend the next few days helping them "unpack" the evidence, including testimony from more than 30witnesses and binders full of 80 exhibits.

By the time the Crown is finished, LeNoble says they will have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Coban was the person behind 22 separate online aliases used to harass and extort Todd with child pornography that depicted her.

LeNoble says Todd's harassment began just before her 13th birthday when she received a message that threatened to send a video of her to friends, family and local media.

Crown prosecutor Louise Kenworthy told the jury at the start of the trial last month that the teenager from Port Coquitlam, B.C., had been the victim of a persistent campaign of online "sextortion" over three years before her death in October 2012.

Carol Todd testified that her daughter was scared when she brought messages to her mother's attention, and Amanda's distress increased with each incident.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2022.

MORE National ARTICLES

Woman violently assaulted by two strangers early Monday morning

Woman violently assaulted by two strangers early Monday morning
Residents near West 10th and Waterloo Street may see additional officers patrolling and knocking on doors. The suspects were men in their 20s who had their faces covered.

Woman violently assaulted by two strangers early Monday morning

Provinces still waiting on $2B for surgery backlog

Provinces still waiting on $2B for surgery backlog
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced the one-time top-up to "expedite" surgeries on March 25, and he and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland introduced a bill in the House of Commons the same day to enable the funding.

Provinces still waiting on $2B for surgery backlog

Feds still not set on dental-care model

Feds still not set on dental-care model
As part of a confidence and supply deal with the NDP to avoid an election until 2025, the Liberals pledged to launch a federal dental-care program for low- and middle-income kids before the end of the year and aim to expand its eligibility over the next several years.

Feds still not set on dental-care model

Premiers tell feds to stop 'quibbling' over health

Premiers tell feds to stop 'quibbling' over health
It's been eight months since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to meet with the premiers to address their request for stable, long-term health-care funding, and that meeting is overdue, Horgan told a news conference at the start of the final day of the premiers' Council of the Federation gathering in Victoria.

Premiers tell feds to stop 'quibbling' over health

Canadians worried about airport delays: poll

Canadians worried about airport delays: poll
A wide-ranging survey by Leger asked Canadians and Americans about issues including travel plans, airport delays and inflation. More than 80 per cent of Canadian respondents said they believe prices will keep going up, and 59 per cent say they think Canada is in an economic recession.    

Canadians worried about airport delays: poll

Duclos defends feds' health-care help to provinces

Duclos defends feds' health-care help to provinces
B.C. Premier John Horgan, who chairs the Council of the Federation comprising all the premiers, said the health-care system needs to be reimagined with a plan for sustainable human resources and stable federal funding.

Duclos defends feds' health-care help to provinces