Thursday, December 18, 2025
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

Now 58 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Canada

Now 58 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Canada
Globally, there are 550 confirmed cases in 30 non-endemic countries where the virus has not usually been found. Tam warns that while we know a lot about how the monkeypox virus behaves in countries where it is endemic, we know little about how it may behave in populations that are both mostly unvaccinated against it and have no natural levels of immunity.

Now 58 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Canada

B.C. to receive money-laundering inquiry report

B.C. to receive money-laundering inquiry report
The Cullen Commission's website says its mandate includes making findings of fact on the extent, growth and methods of money laundering in B.C. and whether the acts or omissions of regulatory agencies and individuals "contributed to money laundering in the province or amount to corruption.''

B.C. to receive money-laundering inquiry report

Officer struck in the face multiple times and spat on: New Westminster Police

Officer struck in the face multiple times and spat on: New Westminster Police
While the officer attempted to detain the driver, the driver resisted causing the two to fall into an embankment. As the officer took the driver into custody he was struck in the face multiple times and was spat on.    

Officer struck in the face multiple times and spat on: New Westminster Police

Gun reform not meant to target farmers: minister

Gun reform not meant to target farmers: minister
Marco Mendicino met with community leaders in Regina on Thursday at the annual conference of big-city mayors. He said it is important that the federal government develop gun policies that reflect the varying experiences of Canadians.

Gun reform not meant to target farmers: minister

Canada's Joly concerned by actions of Chinese jets

Canada's Joly concerned by actions of Chinese jets
Canada deployed a CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft from April 26 to May 26 to Japan, as part of Operation NEON, a multinational effort to support the implementation of UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea. 

Canada's Joly concerned by actions of Chinese jets

B.C.'s threshold based on police input: Bennett

B.C.'s threshold based on police input: Bennett
The threshold falls short of the 4.5 grams requested by the province and has been criticized as too low by some advocates who say entrenched drug users typically carry more.    

B.C.'s threshold based on police input: Bennett