Man who participated in fatal group attack on Uber driver handed 8-year sentence

One of the people who participated in what a judge has described as a "cruel and merciless" killing of a Calgary Uber driver has been handed an eight-year sentence. 

Andrew Christal, 35, was tried on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Kasif Hirani, 30, who was fatally stabbed in December 2019. Last year, a jury found him guilty of the lesser offence of manslaughter.

On Thursday, Court of King's Bench Justice John McCarthy found Christal "acted in concert" with the other two killers, Trista Tinkler and Robert Daignault.

"He knew Mr. Daignault was in possession of a knife," said McCarthy. "He knew Mr. Daignault could be violent."

In fact, Christal provided the knife to Daignault, the judge noted. 

With credit for the time he has served in custody and on house arrest, Christal has about 6½ years left in prison.

McCarthy urged Christal to "make the most of this second chance" by becoming a contributing member of society after his release from prison. 

On Dec. 29, 2019, Christal, Daignault and Tinkler forced Hirani, an Uber driver, into the back of his own car.

As they drove to a remote area near the Springbank Airport, the killers demanded Hirani's banking information. 

The trio stopped and forced the victim to get out of the car. He was beaten and stabbed by Daignault.

Hirani was left in a snowbank, where he died. 

Christal testified he had no idea Daignault was going to rob or attack Hirani.

The victim's body was found on the morning on Dec. 29 near the Springbank Airport by a man out walking his dog.

The victim had suffered two dozen stab wounds to his abdomen, neck, face and hands.