On what was to be Richard Mantha’s first day of trial, the lawyer for the accused serial rapist will instead ask a judge to order separate trials for each alleged victim — seven in total.
Mantha, 59, faces more than two dozen charges including sexual assault with a gun, sexual assault with a knife, kidnapping, forcible confinement and administering noxious substances.
He is accused of drugging and raping women involved in Calgary’s sex trade.
A four-week trial was supposed to begin Monday. Instead, defence lawyer Kim Arial will make a severance application, asking the judge to split the complainants up for separate trials.
Each
