WATCH: Two women have brought forward a class action lawsuit claiming they were filmed while using the washroom at a Saanich grocery store they worked at and that the explicit images were then posted online.
A civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court on Monday alleges an assistant manager at the Mattick’s Farm Red Barn Market in Cordova Bay installed a video recording device in the washroom and filmed two women, and potentially others, using the toilet and in various stages of undress.
The incidents are alleged to have occurred between 2009 and 2014, and the defendant no longer works at the store.
The claim states Saanich police contacted the women in 2016 and told them they had found explicit photographs of them posted on a Russian “revenge porn” website. The women’s lawyer believes there could be other potential victims including employees and members of the public.
In addition to seeking damages from the defendant and the Red Barn Market, it’s demanding the defendant surrender all copies of recordings and images of the alleged victims.
Saanich police would only confirm there is an investigation ongoing that started two years ago involving a Saanich grocery store and they say they have made an arrest in that case but that charges haven’t yet been sworn.
Police say they have identified nine alleged victims in that investigation and they don’t believe there are any others out there.
They say they have executed several search warrants and obtained evidence as part of that investigation but wouldn’t comment further only saying they are complex investigations and take time.
April Lawrence
