Sentencing hearing underway for Calgary man who preyed on sex trade workers

The years-long trial of a Calgary man who was found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting vulnerable women employed in the sex trade is nearing an end.

A sentencing hearing is taking place in a Calgary courtroom on Tuesday for 62-year-old Richard Mantha.

Mantha was arrested in April 2023 following a police search of a property in Rocky View County, east of Calgary.

He was accused of abducting, drugging and sexually assaulting at least seven women between September 2020 and March 2023.

A long list of charges were laid against him, including sexual assault, knowingly administering a noxious substance, uttering threats, assault with a weapon and suffocation in the commission of sexual assault.

His trial began in January 2024 but faced numerous delays, including when Mantha fired his lawyers, when he suffered a stroke, when he contracted COVID-19 and his demand the trial be held in French, although it was eventually held in English.

Mantha initially pleaded not guilty to 20 charges, but following the death of one of his accusers, his trial proceeded on 16 counts related to six complainants, while another six charges were dismissed during the trial.

The accused never took the stand in his own defence, so the trial relied on the credibility of the complainants.

In April, Justice Judith Shriar from the Court of King’s Bench in Calgary found him guilty on a total of six counts, including sexual assault, knowingly administering a noxious substance, uttering threats, assault with a weapon and suffocation in the commission of sexual assault.

The presentation of victim impact statements began shortly after 9 a.m. on Tuesday.