Amsterdam — A Dutch cyber bully sentenced to 13 years in prison by a Canadian court in the infamous case involving a young girl who took her own life in 2012 should be reduced to four-and-a-half years in the Netherlands, an Amsterdam prosecutor said. Thursday.
Aydin Coban was convicted last year of extortion, harassment and other crimes in a case involving Canadian teenager Amanda Todd, who was blackmailed into exposing herself in front of a webcam. A 15-year-old girl committed suicide after detailing her ordeal in a YouTube video watched by millions around the world.
When Coban was extradited to Canada to face trial in the Todd case, he was already serving an 11-year sentence in the Netherlands for similar crimes targeting 33 other victims.
His Canadian sentence will be served in the Netherlands after he completes his original prison term in August next year. It must first be converted into a sentence according to Dutch law.
Coban was not in court for Thursday’s hearing at the Amsterdam District Court to commute the Canadian sentence.
Public Prosecutor Kasper Van Der Schaft told the judges that a Dutch court would normally sentence Coban to four years for the crimes he was convicted of in Canada. But he urged the judges to impose an additional six months.
Van der Schaft acknowledged that Canadians who are familiar with the Amanda Todd case would be “surprised” that the 13-year sentence imposed in Canada would be reduced in the Netherlands to about a third.
Coban’s Dutch lawyer, Robert Malewicz, called the Canadian sentence “excessive even by Canadian standards”.
He said that Coban should not receive any additional prison term, but if he does, it should not exceed one year with six months suspended. This would mean that if Coban commits another offence, he will only serve an additional six months.
Malewicz criticized Canadian authorities for releasing Coban’s personal details, saying that he would now forever be associated with the Amanda Todd case. Dutch authorities do not release full names or other identifying details about suspects in criminal cases.
Malewicz said, “He will always be recognized.” “It feels like a life sentence for him.”
The court said it would pronounce the verdict on July 13. The sentence decision can be appealed to the Dutch Supreme Court.
Todd’s plight brought the problem of cyberbullying to mainstream attention in Canada.
In sentencing Coban last year, Canadian Judge Martha Devlin said that “the grave effect of the crimes on Amanda was clear to Mr. Coban and would have been clear to anyone at the time.”
He further added that “It was Mr. Coban’s clearly stated goal to ruin Amanda’s life. Sadly, he achieved it.”
