A young man found guilty in the particularly-brutal stabbing death of a cab-driver learned his sentence today.

Crown prosecutor Helene DiSalvo says it won't be easy for the family of 64-year old taxi driver Mohammed Nehar-Belaid to understand how 29-year old Nigel John could be sentenced to life in prison yet, potentially, be free in just another nine years. John's second-degree murder conviction carries an automatic life-sentence, of which a minimum of ten years must be served before elligibility for parole. The trial judge finally decided on a 12-year minimum less the three years already served.

Chief among the aggravating factors against John: the fact that the victim, who was killed and robbed of a thousand dollars, was captive in his cab, and thus particuarly vulnerable.