Abbotsford woman must pay damages for Facebook comments

ABBOTSFORD (NEWS 1130) – An Abbotsford woman has learned the hard way not to defame someone on Facebook.

Katherine Van Nes has been ordered to pay $67,000 in damages to her neighbour.

The dispute between Van Nes and middle high school music teacher Douglas Pritchard started when Van Nes set up a fish pond with two waterfalls that operated around the clock.

When Pritchard complained about the constant noise coming from the waterfalls, the relationship between the two deteriorated and that’s when the Facebook posts were made.

Between Van Nes and her online friends, Pritchard was called “nutter, “creep” “douchebag” and a “pedo.”

She accused him on the social networking site of using a system of cameras and mirrors to focus on her backyard and her kids.

One of Van Nes’ Facebook friends even went so far as taking the “spy-camera” allegation to Pritchard’s principal.

Turns out, there were no cameras and mirrors directed at her property.

Pritchard said the allegations created an atmosphere of mistrust at his school. He now avoids any physical contact to shield himself from allegations of impropriety.

In handing down the ruling and the amount of damage, the judge said an accusation of paedophilic behaviour must be the single most effective means of destroying a teacher’s reputation and career.

The judge also ordered the waterfall structure be turned off between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

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