A Red Deer member of the Creep Catchers vigilante group will go to trial in August on charges of harassment and mischief.
The accused, Carl Young, watched from the back of a Red Deer provincial courtroom on Friday as his agent, Stephanie Glen, spoke to Judge Jim Glass about whether he had retained a lawyer.
Glen, of Native Counselling Services (who helps both aboriginals and some non-aboriginals who are yet unrepresented by legal counsel), told the court that Young indicated he would be retaining lawyer Maurice Collard, so should have representation before he’s to be cross-examined in court.
To ensure he does have counsel, Glass ordered Young to return to provincial court — with his lawyer — on June 14. If he didn’t have a lawyer at that time, the court would have to appoint legal representation for him before his trial.
A date of Aug. 25 has been set for Young’s case to go before a judge in Red Deer provincial court.
Young, who sat on a courtroom bench wearing a hoodie and blank expression, did not participate in the exchange between the judge and his agent.
The then-37-year-old was charged in December with unlawful harassment and mischief to property after a Lacombe resident was allegedly lured, under false pretenses, to a meeting with the accused.
Although Lacombe Police allege there was no evidence the male victim in this case — who had been previously conversing with a Creep Catchers member online — had been up to anything criminal, a cellphone was allegedly shoved in his face, and he was told he was being recorded and is being busted by Creep Catchers.
A video of the encounter was put on the Internet, then later taken down.
The group is made up of private citizens who post videos online to ‘expose’ people they believe are seeking out minors for sexual activity. Police have cautioned against this kind of “quasi-enforcement” action, saying investigations should be left to police officers, who know the law.