Teen sentenced after using Facebook to extort girl, possess child porn

HALIFAX -- A teenage boy was given a conditional discharge today after being convicted of extortion and possessing child pornography he obtained by threatening a young girl on Facebook.

The boy, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was 16 at the time of the offences in 2012.

He was convicted of the offences, as well as possession of pornography for the purpose of distribution, on April 2 by Judge Anne Derrick.

In her written verdict, Derrick said it was alleged that he created two fake Facebook accounts and reached out to two teenage girls, luring them into a friendship with the fictitious characters.

The Crown said the boy then decided to kill off one of the fake characters and used the other fictitious Facebook persona to tell the girls that she killed herself by cutting her throat, which prompted the girls to both attempt suicide.

The Crown alleged that the boy said he would reveal one the character's true identities if one of the girls sent him a topless selfie, which she did only to be threatened that he would publish them if she didn't send more.

In her sentence, Derrick released the teenager on condition that he live with his parents, and stay off computers and social media for two years unless for school work. He was also sentenced to 100 hours of community service and must not have any contact with the victim.