Weeks-Long Trial to Begin in Calgary for Man Accused of Kidnapping, Sex Assault

A French-language trial for a man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting five women at a rural property east of Calgary is to begin on Jan. 15 at the Alberta Court of Justice. Richard Robert Mantha, 59, faces numerous charges that include kidnapping, forcible confinement, sexual assault with a weapon, sexual assault causing bodily harm and administering a noxious substance. He was denied bail last summer and has been in custody since he was arrested in April 2023. Police have said the women allege they were approached by a man, then drugged and taken to another location, where they were physically and sexually assaulted....