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No parole for more than a decade for man who killed Winnipeg bus driver

Aug 7, 2019 | 9:04 AM

WINNIPEG — The man convicted of killing a Winnipeg bus driver in what a judge described as a brutal and explosive stabbing will not be eligible for parole for 12 years.

Irvine Jubal Fraser, who was 58, was stabbed 12 times during a fight with Brian Kyle Thomas in February 2017.

Earlier this year, a jury found Thomas guilty of second-degree murder, which carries an automatic sentence of life in prison.

The Crown and defence had asked that there be no parole eligibility for 12 years.

Security camera video from the bus shows Fraser telling Thomas to leave the vehicle several times before the driver grabs the man by his sweater and shoves him off.

The defence did not present evidence during the trial but argued that the bus driver provoked the attack.

Fraser’s death prompted calls for increased safety measures on Winnipeg buses, including safety shields for drivers.

The Canadian Press