Alberta sex assault victim tells sentencing hearing she forgives attacker

In a Calgary sentencing hearing on Tuesday, one of three vulnerable women sexually assaulted by Richard Robert Mantha expressed forgiveness for her attacker. Aimee Ert, who had requested the court to lift the publication ban on her name, stated she still experiences anxiety and pain but forgives Mantha "for myself, not for him."

Ert detailed how Mantha drugged, choked, and sexually assaulted her after she consented to accompany him to his rural property east of Calgary. Despite the trauma, Ert emphasized that Mantha does not deserve what she went through and hopes he receives the necessary help to become a better person. Mantha, 62, was convicted of six offenses, including drugging one victim, between 2019 and 2023, and uttering threats against a fourth woman.

Crown prosecutor Dominique Mathurin argued for a prison sentence of 10 to 13 years, emphasizing the attack on the victim's sense of security, autonomy, and self-worth. Mantha's lawyer, Justin Dean, contested the request, calling it excessive and pointing out his client's prior criminal record consisted of property crimes and drug charges.