Jury warned before viewing 'intimate' content at trial of man accused of sextorting B.C. teen

Warning: This article has content that might be disturbing for some readers.

The judge at the trial of a man accused of sextorting Port Coquitlam teen Amanda Todd warned the jury twice on Friday morning that the images and video evidence they would be viewing would be “intimate,” and screens facing the public gallery were turned off.

Dutch citizen Aydin Coban is charged with extortion, child luring, harassment and possession of child pornography. He has pleaded not guilty.

Digital forensic specialist Det. Const. Robin Shook testified about three images with the words “Amanda chat” in the name, and told the court they were screen captures from chat websites. On one of the images, he told the court a partial watermark could be seen for “Blog TV.”

Two videos were also played, both of which Shook testified were screen capture videos recorded off of a website called “Motherless.” Shook testified both videos were also uploaded to the same site by someone with the user name “emanon”: one on Dec. 26, 2010, and the other on April 27, 2011. As the second video played in court, at one point what sounded like a female voice could be heard, although the words being spoken were hard to make out.

Shook testified after the first video played “that was the video of the young lady.”

Shook told the court at the time of the screen capture, the first video had over 5,000 views on the website, the second had more than 700. He testified the second video also had a Blog TV watermark.

Shook told the court software to make such screen recordings is “freely” available online.

Outside court, Todd’s mother Carol said she had been mentally preparing for what may come out at the trial for the past 10 years.

“I’ll admit, it’s not 100 per cent easy to see and to hear all that stuff,” she said. “But part of me is it needs to be told, and it needs to be shared.”

Todd said the video her 15 year-old daughter shared online in the month before her death by suicide in 2012 indicated the teen wanted her story told. The video featured Todd holding up handwritten cards describing years of torment.

“I’ve been thinking what if Amanda were alive, if she were here, what would she do,” Todd’s mother said. “I can only assume she would want this to be told.”

Todd’s mother said her daughter’s story could help other people who may not even realize something similar could happen to them.

“All these things teach us what to be careful of, what to be aware of,” she said. “Yes, it’s hard. But it’s needed.”

Shook also testified about a Facebook profile with the name “Austin Collins.” On her second day on the stand, Todd’s mother had testified about hearing her daughter “shriek” after seeing a Facebook account with the same name using a topless photo of her as its profile picture in November 2011. She told the court the account had also connected with friends and acquaintances of the teen online.

Shook told the court the Facebook account indicated its owner was going to be attending Westview Secondary School in Maple Ridge, which Todd had been attending.

The crown read a message posted on the wall of the Facebook account, which Shook testified would have been made by Collins. It read in part: “They sent me a video and pics of Amanda Todd flashing her b**bs…and she has even more X-rated videos.” Shook testified there was then a link which went to an image file named “Amanda Todd.”

Shook also testified someone had posted on Collins'page, and had received a response from Collins:

Poster: WTF is wrong with you

Collins: I’m doing what Jesus would do (heart emoji)

Prosecutor Louise Kenworthy told the court in an opening statement on Monday that Todd was the victim of a persistent campaign of online sextortion. They allege someone using 22 different phony accounts tried to use explicit images of Todd as leverage to get her to perform online sex acts, and when she didn’t, would send links to the images to people she knew. Kenworthy said this went on from the time Todd was 12 to 15 years old.

Coban was first charged in 2014, and was later extradited to Canada. The defence has not yet presented its case. The trial is scheduled for seven weeks.

 If you or someone you know is in crisis, here are some resources that are available.

Canada Suicide Prevention Helpline (1-833-456-4566)
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (1 800 463-2338)
Crisis Services Canada (1-833-456-4566 or text 45645)
Kids Help Phone [phone])
If you need immediate assistance call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.