Nicholas Rasberry, who stabbed neighbour 37 times, must begin serving 7-year sentence after appeal dismissed

A Calgary man convicted of manslaughter after stabbing his neighbour 37 times will get Easter weekend with his family before he must turn himself in and begin servinghis seven-year sentence.

On Thursday,the Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed Nicholas Rasberry'sbid for a lesser prison term. He must turn himself in to the Calgary Remand Centre by 10a.m. Tuesday morning.

Rasberry, 35, fatally stabbed Craig Kellowayin 2013. He hadappealed his manslaughter conviction and the sentence he was handed after being found guiltyin 2015. Both appeals have now been rejected by Alberta's top court.

• Manslaughter conviction upheld for Nicholas Rasberry, who stabbed neighbour 37 times

"In our view, the sentence of seven-years imprisonmentimposed by the trial judge falls within the appropriate range for manslaughter and was a fit sentence," wrote two of the judges.

A third offered a dissenting opinion and would have substituted a five-year sentence.

"Having reviewed the decision, as well as the reasons of the dissenting justice, I'm not in a position at this timeto provide a comment because of the prospects of an application for leave to appeal the sentence to the Supreme Court," saidRasberry'slawyer, GavinWolch.

In May 2013, Rasberryfatally stabbed his neighbourCraig Kelloway, a teacher who had moved to Calgary six years earlier from Nova Scotia. The killer claimed he did it because Kelloway threatened to have sex with him.

The two met for the first time earlier in the day and had a barbecue together with their significant others. The fatal attack happened after the women went to bed.

At trial, Wolch,argued his client was acting in self-defence and should be acquitted.

Although the judge saidhe was "skeptical"of the accused's version of events, he couldn't rule out provocation to Rasberry who was charged with second-degree murderwas convicted of the lesser offence of manslaughter.

Kelloway left behind a girlfriend and infant son.

The Supreme Court of Canada has already dismissed Rasberry's conviction appeal application.