An Alberta Judge Hid the Identity of A Child Lurer Because He Was Worried About Creep Catchers

There is much debate about whether or not Creep Catchers—groups of vigilantes who publicly shame people they perceive to be child sex predators—are doing any good in their communities. But for one Alberta judge, the threat of "vigilante reactions" was enough to convince him to protect a child-luring sex offender's identity while delivering his judgment.

According to CBC News, Court of Queen's Bench Justice Brian Burrows anonymized the accused while convicting him of child luring—a decision he made on his own accord. Because there's no publication ban on the man's name, media outlets independently identified him as Kenneth Rode.

Rode, 53, was convicted in October in relation to a series of sexually explicit online chats he had with an 11-year-old girl, including the exchange of graphic photos. He's been sentenced to 15 months in jail.

After the girl's parents discovered the chats in January 2015, they went to police, who continued talking to Rode on the girl's behalf. Eventually, undercover officers from the Alberta Integrated Child Exploitation Unit (ALERT) arranged a meet-up with Rode in Edmonton (he reportedly wanted the girl to "cuddle up… and see what happens"), and arrested him.

While delivering his judgment Justice Burrows said he was concealing Rode's name "because of the nature of the allegations," the CBC reports. "I think [of] the recent news of vigilante reactions to such allegations."

Alberta's Justice department declined to comment on the judge's decision.

VICE reached out to several Alberta Creep Catchers but has not heard back. However, the Creep Catchers website advises followers not to harm the people in their videos.

"We do not condone or endorse any harm coming to these individuals, minus public shaming and outting (sic)," it says.

"Any such violence towards anyone portrayed in our content will be frowned upon and you may find yourself on our pages!"

Michael Lacy, vice president of the Criminal Lawyers' Association, told VICE Burrows' decision is unprecedented.

"Openness and transparency favour publication except in the most exceptional of circumstances. If there was a real concern for the physical safety of the accused, that would certainly qualify as exceptional but it does not appear there was actual evidence of that before the judge," he said.

"Vigilante justice obviously has no place in the administration of criminal justice and this judge's reaction perhaps speaks to his concern in that regard."

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