A Port Alberni mother and stepfather pleaded guilty on Friday to assault in a suspected child-luring case involving their 13-year-old daughter.

The couple and a family friend had been accused of assault causing bodily harm and unlawful confinement. They were alleged to have beaten and tied up a man who had come to the couplesa国际传媒檚 home to allegedly have sex with their 13-year-old daughter.

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A publication ban was put in place to protect the girlsa国际传媒檚 identity.

The mother and stepfather originally pleaded not guilty on Jan. 2, but changed their pleas on Friday in provincial court in Port Alberni. The girlsa国际传媒檚 mother pleaded to a lesser charge of common assault, while the stepfather pleaded to one charge of assault causing bodily harm.

The family friend also pleaded guilty to one count assault causing bodily harm.

Charges of unlawful confinement were stayed for all three.

All were given conditional discharges of six to 12 months, meaning if they follows certain conditions, they wonsa国际传媒檛 have a criminal record for the matter once their sentences are up.

The assaults occurred last April, when RCMP were called to a disturbance in the 3600-block of Bruce Street and discovered a 28-year-old man injured and secured with zap-straps.

The man, who is the subject of an ongoing child-luring investigation, had allegedly come to the home to meet and have sex with a 13-year-old girl, according to the girlsa国际传媒檚 mother.

RCMP have said the man has not been charged, and that the incident is sa国际传媒渟till under investigation.sa国际传媒� Crown counsel confirmed there are no charges against the suspect.

In presenting the sentences, Justice Ronald Lamperson cautioned people against vigilante justice.

sa国际传媒淲e donsa国际传媒檛 in Canadian society condone vigilante justice,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭hat message should be clear to the community.sa国际传媒�

A small group of supporters sitting in the courtroom clapped after the judge sentenced the mother and stepfather.

Maureen Kelly was one of many who arrived early outside the courthouse to hold a sign in protest of the charges, even though she doesnsa国际传媒檛 know the people involved.

sa国际传媒淢aybe it wasnsa国际传媒檛 right what they did, but they were left with little choice,sa国际传媒� Kelly said before going inside to listen to proceedings. sa国际传媒淗ow else are you supposed to protect your children?sa国际传媒�

Natasha Geddes also went to the courthouse in support of the parents. sa国际传媒淚 think itsa国际传媒檚 disgusting. Maybe what the parents did wasnsa国际传媒檛 the greatest, but I donsa国际传媒檛 think theresa国际传媒檚 anything else they could have done.sa国际传媒�