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 couple鈥檚 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 girl鈥檚 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 girl鈥檚 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 won鈥檛 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 girl鈥檚 mother.

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

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

鈥淲e don鈥檛 in Canadian society condone vigilante justice,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat message should be clear to the community.鈥�

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 doesn鈥檛 know the people involved.

鈥淢aybe it wasn鈥檛 right what they did, but they were left with little choice,鈥� Kelly said before going inside to listen to proceedings. 鈥淗ow else are you supposed to protect your children?鈥�

Natasha Geddes also went to the courthouse in support of the parents. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 disgusting. Maybe what the parents did wasn鈥檛 the greatest, but I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 anything else they could have done.鈥�