Richard Mantha faces 10–13 years as victim delivers impact statements at Calgary sentencing hearing
At a Calgary court sentence hearing, serial rapist Richard Mantha faces a Crown bid for 10–13 years as a victim details lasting trauma in impact statements.
A sentencing hearing for 62-year-old Richard Mantha on Tuesday heard emotional impact statements from a woman who says she was sexually assaulted by Mantha, as the Crown urged a prison term of 10 to 13 years. The victim described long-term psychological and physical effects that she says have upended her ability to feel safe, work and maintain personal relationships. Justice Judith Shriar presided over the matter following Mantha’s convictions earlier this year, and Crown prosecutor Dominique Mathurin framed the proposed sentence to reflect the seriousness of the offences and some mitigating factors.
Victim recounts terrifying encounter
I honestly thought I was going to die that day, the victim told the court in one of two written statements read during the hearing. She described fleeing the scene onto a nearby highway, where bystanders found her before she was taken into custody on minor charges related to the incident.
The victim said the assaults left her with ongoing post-traumatic stress, anxiety and difficulty trusting others, and that courtroom proceedings have repeatedly forced her to relive the events. She said she has forgiven herself as part of trying to heal, but that she will never forget what happened.
Crown seeks 10 to 13 years in prison
Crown lawyer Dominique Mathurin asked the judge to impose a sentence in the 10- to 13-year range, saying that range accounts for aggravating elements while also reflecting mitigation raised by the defence. The Crown emphasized the need for denunciation and deterrence in a case involving multiple victims.
Mathurin also acknowledged that the Crown conceded acquittal on some allegations during final submissions, including two complainants whose cases the prosecution said lacked sufficient evidence or could not proceed because of intervening circumstances.
Convictions, acquittals and counts
Justice Shriar previously found Mantha guilty of six charges after a multi-count prosecution that originally listed 20 charges linked to alleged assaults on seven women. The court’s verdicts included convictions for sexual assault against three women while acquitting him on the majority of the remaining counts.
In some instances the judge cleared Mantha of drugging allegations but still found him guilty on related charges such as threatening one complainant. One alleged victim died before she could testify, and the Crown conceded an acquittal in that matter during closing arguments.
Details of the attacks described at trial
Court findings outlined several violent elements in the offences that were proven, including an assault in a Quonset hut east of Calgary during which a victim was choked. Justice Shriar also concluded Mantha struck a woman with her cellphone, an act characterized in court as an assault with a weapon.
Other convictions involved assaults that left victims physically and emotionally scarred, according to evidence presented at trial. The breadth of the allegations and the number of complainants were central to the Crown’s sentencing submissions.
Arrest, trial timeline and health delays
Mantha was arrested on April 6, 2023, after a major search of a rural property east of Calgary where he had been renting a Quonset hut, according to court records. His trial began in January 2024 and was later delayed by several interruptions, including a significant health event when Mantha suffered a stroke months into proceedings that left him unable to speak.
Those medical complications complicated scheduling and testimony, and contributed to the prolonged timeline from arrest to conviction and sentencing. The trial’s duration and repeated court appearances have been a recurring concern for victims and their advocates.
Courtroom tone and next steps
Tuesday’s sentencing hearing combined legal argument with highly personal victim testimony, a mix that highlighted both the judicial process and the human consequences of the crimes. Justice Shriar will weigh the Crown’s recommended range, defence submissions and the victim impact material before announcing a final sentence.
Sentencing documents and oral submissions will inform the judge’s decision on whether to adopt the Crown’s recommended term or to impose a different sentence within the statutory framework for the offences.
The victim urged the court to consider the lasting harm she says she endures, and lawyers on both sides presented legal arguments about principles such as proportionality, denunciation and the offender’s health.
A final sentence is expected to be handed down after the judge has reviewed all materials and considered statutory sentencing principles.
