Richard Mantha, a Calgary man who sexually assaulted three vulnerable women, has been sentenced to 12 years.
Mantha, 62, was convicted of six offences in April, including drugging one of his victims. Another he suffocated and assaulted with a weapon.
He was also found guilty of uttering threats against a fourth woman.
“The impact of Mr. Mantha’s crimes is aggravating,” said Justice J. Shriar in the Thursday sentencing decision.
She added that the victim impact statement from Aimee Ert “was one of the most moving this court has ever heard.”
“She powerfully explained of the significant emotional impacts of long-lasting fear and anxiety, anger and grief. undermining her sense of safety. trust and well being and the financial costs of installing a security system around her home and for counselling.”
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“I felt heard,” Ert told reporters outside of court.
“I am feeling some closure. I feel honoured to be standing here for the women who couldn’t.”
Ert successfully petitioned the court last month to have her name removed from the publication ban.
Mantha had his head down, while Shriar delivered her sentencing.
“Anybody that can actively harm someone in the ways that he did, will get what they deserve,” said Ert.
“And seeing him now, he definitely got what he deserved.”
During trial, court heard some of the women, including Ert, were picked up by Mantha and driven to a rural acreage east of Calgary, where they were attacked.
Other incidents happened at a Calgary hotel and a local residence.
Mantha initially faced 20 charges involving seven women, but the remaining charges were dropped.
The trial began in January 2024 and faced several lengthy delays after Mantha fired his previous lawyers and suffered a stroke.
He was later found fit to stand trial despite having reduced verbal skills.
Crown prosecutor Dominique Mathurin was seeking a sentence of 10 to 13 years.
“The road to today has been long,” she said.
“We are so grateful to each of the victims for coming forward and giving their testimony, which takes immense bravery and without whom the conviction would not have been possible.”
Mantha was also given a lifetime ban on owning any firearms and has been ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
With more than five years credit for his time served, Mantha’s remaining sentence is six years, eight months and 28 days.
Mantha’s lawyer, Justin Dean, declined to comment on the sentencing, but had been seeking a five-to-seven-year sentence.
