By Dominic Abassi

Port Alberni parents given conditional discharge for beating child luring suspect

Jan 11, 2019 | 4:17 PM

PORT ALBERNI — Three Port Alberni parents were handed conditional discharges after pleading guilty to luring and beating a man they claim was trying to have sex with their underage daughter.

The sentence for the trio, who are not named to protect the identity of the girl, was met with cheers in a Port Alberni courtroom on Friday. A crowd gathered outside the courthouse prior to the hearing, rallying in support of the parents and denouncing the charges.

In an agreed statement of facts, court heard the girl’s mother posed as her 13-year-old daughter in messages to arrange a meet up with a 28-year-old man they claimed was sending lewd pictures and wanted to have sex with the girl. When the man arrived at their home on April 12 of last year, the mother punched him in the face, while the girl’s two stepfathers hit the man with a baseball bat and kicked him in the head and face multiple times, court was told.

The man allegedly trying to lure the young girl suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung and other injuries.

The aftermath of the assault was broadcast live on Facebook by the girl’s mother, showing a man hog-tied on the floor with her shouting at him for allegedly coming to the house to have sex with her underage daughter. Later in the video, RCMP arrived at the home and arrested the parents.

iconic voice

Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole, a welcome voice for a half-century, dead at 90

3h ago

first response

New staffing model on Gabriola Island hires local paramedics for enhanced patient care

8h ago

modified weapon

Sawed-off shotgun seized after Nanaimo RCMP spot well-known offender

21h ago

The two stepfathers pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm, the mother pleaded guilty to common assault, while charges of unlawful confinement against all three were stayed.

In media interviews the day after the attack, the mother and one of the stepfathers said they did not regret their actions.

The conditional discharge means all three will not have a criminal record as long as they abide by the terms of their probation.

Port Alberni RCMP meanwhile said the victim of the assault remains the subject of a child luring investigation.

— with files from David Wiwchar, 93.3 The PEAK (CJAV-FM)

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi