Accused serial rapist's trial delayed again frustrating his alleged victims

The trial of Richard Mantha, 60, who faces nearly two dozen charges of drugging and raping several women from Calgary's sex trade, has been delayed again.

Mantha is due back in court Nov. 13 to set a date next year for trial. He has retained new counsel after firing his lawyer again.

One of his alleged victims, whom CTV News is referring to as "Avery," because her real name is protected under a publication ban, says she is frustrated by the delays.

"He is a predator, and he took advantage of people that have addictions," she said.

The trial began in French in January, at the request of Mantha.

By March, he fired his lawyer but agreed to do the remainder of the trial in English.

He suffered a stroke shortly after and underwent a forensic assessment.

Late last month, Mantha was found fit to stand trial. His lawyer appealed the decision, but Mantha fired him four weeks before he was to return to trial on Nov. 18.

"I can appreciate people's interest in wanting to get to justice on this," said Doug King, a justice studies professor at Mount Royal University.

"But if you muck up the criminal procedure part of it, you're going to end up getting an appeal. And then that could get to the Supreme Court of Canada and that could add years on to this case."

King cites that the delays are not common but reasonable given that a new lawyer, each time, has to comb through hundreds of pages of disclosure in the prosecution's case.

"The next time he changes defence counsel, he may not have anybody who wants to take his case, which then it will end up in terms of a judge-appointed defence counsel," said King.

Avery says alleged victims are trying to move on with their lives.

"It's like we're holding our breath, waiting for closure," she said.

"I'm doing whatever I can to keep moving forward and keep functioning in my normal day-to-day life. But this still sits on my shoulder like that thing that you want to just get it removed."

Her Victory outreach works with many alleged victims in the sex trade, including several women who came forward with allegations against Mantha.

Executive director Jacquie Meyer says the delays are not helpful in their healing journey.

"The further it gets pushed out, these women want to move on with their lives," said Meyer.

"We've already had one of the victims that has passed away. These women are in vulnerable situations."

Meyer says that Her Victory has partnered with the Calgary Police Service to set up a bad date hotline for workers to report bad experiences.

"These women are in extreme vulnerability, they want to move on with their lives," said Meyer.

"They don't want to relive these traumatic experiences that they were put through."