Calgary Man Found Guilty Of Preying On Women Employed In The City’s Sex Trade - Beritaja

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A verdict has been reached successful the proceedings of a 62-year-old Calgary man accused of preying connected respective women who were employed successful the city’s activity trade.

Richard Mantha was accused of abducting, drugging and sexually assaulting astatine slightest 7 women astatine a agrarian spot eastbound of Calgary betwixt September 2020 and March of 2023.

He initially pleaded not blameworthy to 20 charges against him.

His proceedings yet proceeded connected 16 counts related to six complainants aft 1 of his alleged victims died.

Six of the charges were besides dismissed during his trial.

On Tuesday, Justice Judith Shriar from the Court of Kings Bench successful Calgary delivered her verdict, saying the grounds against Mantha was “overwhelming.”

She recovered him blameworthy connected a full of six counts, including intersexual assault, knowingly administering a noxious substance, uttering threats, battle pinch a limb and suffocation successful the committee of intersexual assault.

The judge dismissed an further 4 charges.

Mantha’s proceedings began much than 2 years agone but faced galore delays, mostly because of Mantha’s health, including 2 strokes and erstwhile he contracted COVID, forcing him to beryllium put into isolation astatine the Calgary Remand Centre.

Mantha besides fired respective of his lawyers and initially demanded to beryllium tried successful French, though the proceedings yet went up successful English.

He besides ne'er took the guidelines successful his ain defence, truthful the proceedings relied connected the credibility of the complainants.

Sentencing will return spot astatine a later day that has yet to beryllium determined.

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