Former Surrey RCMP officer charged in Creep Catchers case pleads guilty to breach of trust

A former RCMP officer charged after the release of a Creep Catchers video has pleaded guilty to one count of breach of trust.

Dario Devic entered the plea Thursday morning in Surrey Provincial Court, according to his lawyer. Rishi Gill said Crown will drop a charge against his client of luring a person under the age of 16.

"He's always stated that he never believed that the person was under the age of consent," Gill said, adding the plea takes Devic "out of the realm of being a sex offender."

Devic was charged in September 2016 following the release of a video by vigilante group Surrey Creep Catchers.

The group claimed to have caught an RCMP officer after luring him online with a woman posing as an underage girl.

A week later police confirmed they had arrested and charged a Surrey RCMP officer in the case.

Gill claimed, however, that photos sent to Devic prior to the encounter were "clearly" those of an adult woman in her mid-20s or early 30s, and his client never believed she was under the age of consent.

A B.C. RCMP spokesperson said on Thursday Devic was discharged from the force earlier this year.

"The allegations were egregious and not in keeping with what we expect from our employees," Staff Sgt. Annie Linteau said in an email.

Gill said Devic's career in law enforcement is over.

"I think he's accepted that," he said.

Devic will be sentenced on Sept. 11, Gill said.

With files from Jodi Muzylowski