Dates have been set for the long-awaited trial of an Edmonton spiritual leader accused of sexually assaulting his followers — and if everything goes to plan, it could be among the longest jury trials in the city’s history.

John de Ruiter and his wife Leigh Ann are scheduled to begin a trial on six counts of sexual assault Jan. 19, 2026.

The last scheduled day is May 29, 2026, making for a trial of nearly four-and-a-half months.

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That is “exceptionally long” for any trial, let alone one with a jury, defence lawyer Dino Bottos said in an interview.

“The reason the trial is going to take a great deal of time is that there are six complainants, and each one will take their time to testify, both in direct examination and cross exami

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