Richard Mantha handed 12-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting 3 vulnerable women | CBC News

A Calgary man who targeted and sexually assaulted several vulnerable women who worked in Calgary’s sex trade has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. 

Richard Mantha, 62, was convicted of six offences in April: sexually assaulting three women — one of whom he drugged, and another he suffocated and assaulted with a weapon — as well as uttering threats against a fourth woman.

On Thursday, Justice Judith Shriar imposed the lengthy prison term following sentencing arguments last month where prosecutor Dominique Mathurin argued for a 10 to 13 year term while defence lawyer Justin Dean asked the judge to consider a five to seven year sentence.

“The road to today has been long,” said Mathurin in an interview after the sentencing decision.

“We are so grateful to each of the victims for coming forward and giving their testimony, which takes immense bravery and without whom a conviction would not have been possible.”

Mantha's victims were four women who struggled with drug addiction at the time. A publication ban protects the identities of three of the victims.

A fourth, Aimee Ert, successfully applied to the court to have the publication ban on her identity lifted. 

‘I forgive Richard Mantha,’ victim says during serial rapist’s sentencing hearing

In April 2022, Mantha attacked Ert at his rural trailer. She managed to get away from him, running toward the highway, where she collapsed on the roadside. A passerby helped get her to hospital. 

Ert was in court Thursday as the sentencing decision was delivered and said she was “feeling some closure.”

“I feel honoured to be standing here for the women who couldn’t,” said Ert, who recently celebrated being sober for four years. 

In handing down the sentence Thursday, Shriar noted that Ert’s victim impact statement was “one of the most moving this court has ever heard.”