Surrey Creep Catchers president facing another defamation suit

For the second time in a month, the president of the controversial Surrey Creep Catchers group is facing a defamation lawsuit.

Sean Smith, 48, of Campbell River says that on Dec. 7 last year he posted a video on Facebook that was critical of Creep Catchers groups in general.

The groups aim to entrap and shame people they allege are involved in soliciting sex from minors.

Smith, who calls himself a social-media consultant and educator, says he did not refer to Ryan LaForge, the president of the Surrey group, or to his group in particular.

But shortly thereafter, LaForge published a series of posts on Facebook pages he usually employed to “out” persons snared by his “sting” operations, said Smith’s notice of civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court.

The posts and accompanying commentary identified the plaintiff as a child sexual predator, said the lawsuit.

“LaForge suggested that the plaintiff would be revealed as a child sexual predator through a Creep Catcher ‘sting’ operation,” said the lawsuit.

“The defamatory posts were false and were made deliberately and maliciously by LaForge knowing them to be untrue or with reckless disregard for their falsity.”

Some time after the posts were originally published, LaForge made further posts purporting to apologize for indicating the plaintiff was a pedophile, but has made no efforts to remove those posts, Smith, who is married and has children, said in his lawsuit.

Also after the posts, numerous followers and members of Surrey Creep Catchers, identified in the lawsuit only as John Doe #1 through #10 and Jane Doe #1 through #10, participated in a campaign of further defamation and intimidation against the plaintiff, which included threats of death or serious bodily harm, it stated.

As a result of the posts, Smith, part of whose work involves presenting to groups of public schoolchildren, says he has suffered and has continued to suffer harm to his reputation and his economic interests.

He is seeking damages and a permanent injunction prohibiting and restraining the continued and future publication of defamatory posts.

No response has been filed by LaForge to the lawsuit, which contains allegations that have not been tested in court.

But an email from the Surrey Creep Catcher’s website said Smith was never called a pedophile.

“He was called a pedophile support due to his actions. … I’m not worried about his lawsuit.”