That is 0 articles you have read today.
The Aporia is free and carries no advertising, so readers are the only
thing paying for it. If you are getting this much out of it, a small
donation is what keeps it independent.
Daily limit reached
You have read 0 articles today.
That is more than the 15 a day The Aporia gives away,
and well past what it can carry on nothing. Your allowance resets at
midnight.
There is no advertising here and nothing about you is sold, so readers
are the only thing paying for it. If the site is worth this much of
your day, it is worth a few dollars.
Everything else stays open: the
maps, the
directory and
search do
not count against this, and neither does re-opening something you have
already read today.
Richard Robert Mantha, 62, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by Judge Judith Shriar for sexually assaulting vulnerable women at his rural home near Calgary between 2019 and 2023. The sentence includes credit for time already served, leaving him with approximately seven more years to serve. Mantha had been convicted of six sexual offenses and uttering threats against a fourth woman; most victims worked in the sex trade. During sentencing, one victim, Aimee Ert, testified about being drugged, choked, and sexually assaulted by Mantha before escaping partially clothed.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In January 2024, Justice Judith Shriar sentenced Richard Robert Mantha, 62, from Calgary, to 12 years in prison for six sexual offenses committed between 2019 and 2023. The charges included drugging one victim and uttering threats against another woman. Most of the victims worked in the sex trade. During sentencing arguments last month, the Crown asked for 10 to 13 years, while the defense recommended five to seven years; Mantha will receive credit for 5 years and 3 months already served, leaving him with approximately six years, nine months remaining on his sentence. The trial faced delays due to Mantha firing previous lawyers and experiencing health issues, including a stroke that left him unable to speak. Aimee Ert, who had requested the court lift her publication ban, testified she was drugged, choked, and sexually assaulted at Mantha's rural property near Chestermere.
Written for “Alberta Sex Assault Sentencing” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 16702 · logged 2026-09-17
A judge has sentenced a man to 12 years in prison for a series of sexual assaults on vulnerable women at a rural home near Calgary.
asserted
judge → sentence → Calgary
Richard Robert Mantha, 62, was convicted of six offences, including drugging one of his victims, that happened between 2019 and 2023.
He was also found guilty of uttering threats against a fourth woman.
asserted
He → convict → woman
Court heard most of the victims worked in the sex trade.
asserted
most → hear → trade
Justice Judith Shriar says Manta showed “callous disrespect” by laughing as one terrified victim fled his rural property, fearing for her life.
asserted
victim → say → life
Get breaking National news
The judge gave Mantha credit of five years and three months for time he has already served in custody, meaning he has a little less than seven years left to serve.
asserted
he → get → years
The Crown had asked for 10 to 13 years in prison, while the defence recommended between five and seven years.
asserted
defence → ask → years
The trial, which started in January 2024, faced several lengthy delays because Mantha fired previous lawyers and had a stroke.
asserted
Mantha → start → stroke
One woman told court she’ll never forget what Mantha did to her.
asserted
Mantha → tell → her
Aimee Ert, who successfully requested the court lift a publication ban on her name, testified she was drugged, choked and sexually assaulted after she agreed to go with Mantha to his acreage.
asserted
she → request → acreage
She was able to escape, and ran from the property partially clothed.
asserted
She → escape → property
She told the sentencing hearing last month that she forgives Mantha and hopes he gets the help he needs.
asserted
he → tell → help
“I also am forgiving myself for allowing him to hurt me.
asserted
him → forgive → me
However, I will never forget what he did to me.
asserted
he → forget → me
I have struggled on a daily basis to get through everything that I have experienced in the past,” she said.
asserted
she → struggle → past
The Aporia
