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Babic told the Court of King’s Bench judge he has been trying to retain a lawyer without success.
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But Rickards said Babic has repeatedly been told his case was going to proceed with or without legal representation.
“I’m not prepared to adjourn it for another couple of months,” the judge said.
“We are starting Wednesday morning, sir, regardless of your situation.”
Crown prosecutor Joe Mercier had asked Rickards to reject any delay in the hearing, which was scheduled to begin Monday for two weeks.
Mercier said Babic has repeatedly attempted to delay his trial and has been told by other judges on more than one occasion that his hearing would proceed this month whether he had a lawyer, or not.
“It’s over four years old,” Mercier said, of the allegations against Babic.
“The Crown’s concern is three of the victims on this file are in their seventies,” he said.
“They have been waiting four years to have this matter heard.”
On Dec. 8, Justice Robert Hall told Babic that his two-week hearing would go ahead on March 4, even if he could not find a lawyer to act for him.
Mercier acknowledged the allegations against Babic are serious and if convicted he would be looking at a significant penitentiary prison term.
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The prosecutor also said the case was further complicated by Babic’s immigration status.
“Mr. Babic is not a Canadian citizen, he is a permanent resident,” Mercier said, about deportation also being a potential issue the accused faces.
But Mercier said despite those factors the trial should proceed.
‘”It comes to the point people lose faith in the justice system,” he said.
“The Crown is ready to proceed and in my submission Mr. Babic continually postpones this trial in an effort to have it not go ahead.”
During the December appearance, Mercier told court the hearing set for this week and next was the fourth trial date set in Babic’s case.
Babic, 41, faces several charges including impersonating a police officer and break and enter to commit robbery.
He was arrested in connection with a Nov. 19, 2019, incident where Mounties said a rural home in Foothills County near Okotoks was robbed by an intruder posing as a police officer.
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