Neville not eligible for parole for 12 years

A judge has ruled that convicted murderer Steven Neville has about a decade left before he can apply for parole.

In his decision, Judge Carl Thompson said Neville's parole eligibility will date from the day he was arrested, Oct. 9, 2010. That would mean Neville will be able to apply for parole on Oct. 9, 2022, when he will be 32 years old.

A jury found the 22-year-old guilty on Feb.1 for the second degree murder of Doug Flynn and of the attempted murder of Ryan Dwyer. A second-degree murder conviction carries with it an automatic life sentence

In his decision on Wednesday, Judge Carl Thompson referred to the brutality and horror of the incident, and the adverse impact it has had on all the families.

Thompson said given the history of Neville and his victims, there was a level of provocation, but not self-defence.

The Crown had recommended that Neville should serve 15 years before being eligible for parole, while the defence recommended parole eligibility after serving 10 years.

Peter Ralph, one of Neville's lawyers, called Thompson's decision "fair and well-reasoned."

However, Ralph said Neville's court battle is not likely over.

"We anticipate filing an appeal fairly shortly," said Ralph. "We don't believe that Mr. Neville had a fair trial. There were disclosure issues here that certainly affected our trial strategy. And it's very strong ground for appeal."