The trial for a Rocky View County man, Richard Mantha, accused of sexually assaulting seven women in Calgary has been put on hold again after the accused hired a new lawyer.
This is the second time his trial, which started in January 2024, has been pushed back. His trial was set to continue on Nov. 18, but is now expected to be delayed into 2025, according to media reports.
Mantha was arrested April 6, 2023, following a police raid on a property east of Calgary. He faces 20 charges that include kidnapping, threats causing bodily harm, sexual assault with a weapon and administering a noxious substance.
The now 60-year-old has pleaded not guilty.
His initial French-language trial began Jan. 19, 2024, and had already heard testimony from several of the women before he fired his two lawyers at the time, according to a report by The Canadian Press on Jan. 30, 2024.
A Calgary Court of Justice judge noted this week that Mantha is causing the delay, not the justice and not the Crown, in him getting justice in a timely fashion, according to reports. Due to his new lawyer not being available at the time of his trial continuation date of Nov. 18, the Justice granted an application to adjourn, reports stated.
All accused persons are guaranteed the right to be tried within a reasonable period of time, according to the Canadian Charter, and in a seminal ruling the Supreme Court said hearings at the lower court level must be concluded within 18 months, or be presumed to have violated that right. Delay caused by the defence is not included in that time frame.
The matter is expected back in court on Nov. 5 to set a date for the continuation of his trial. His trial is expected to take two more weeks.
Earlier this year, Mantha agreed to have his case resume in November in English with a French translator present.
According to previous testimony in court, Mantha is accused of targeting sex workers, bringing them to a Quonset hut on a property in Rocky View County between Chestermere and Langdon, Alta.
Fitness to stand trial
A psychiatric report found Mantha fit to stand trial but his previous lawyer, whom he fired last week, argued he may not be able to be tried fairly. Mantha suffered a stroke in May while in custody waiting for his trial to resume on Nov. 18, reported the Canadian Press on Sept. 26.
A letter from forensic psychiatrist Dr. Reilly Smith said Mantha is fit to stand trial and even though he has severely reduced verbal skills is able to communicate by writing.
He remains in custody.