The sentence hearing for Andrew Christal, convicted in relation to the stabbing of a Calgary Uber driver near Springbank Airport on Dec. 29, 2019, has been postponed until a later date.
As the forensic assessment outpatient service (FAOS) report on the behalf of Christal had not been completed due to a lack of resources as of Oct. 7, Andrew Jonathon, the legal counsel on behalf of Christal, requested to wait for its completion.
Justice J.T. McCarthy inquired on the completion of the report during an application hearing in Calgary Friday, but a date cannot be confirmed as the only information provided to the defense was that they simply needed more time. The defense believes the report will be useful for Christal in future proceedings.
All parties agreed to adjourn the matter to a later date. They will reconvene during a Criminal Appearance Court hearing Nov. 4 at 8:30 a.m. to solidify a date to continue the sentence hearing in January of next year.
Christal was convicted of manslaughter July 22 this year in the fatal stabbing of Kasif Hirani at the end of 2019. Alongside Christal, his childhood friend Trista Tinkler has been handed a six-year manslaughter sentence and her then-boyfriend Robert Daignault is set to appear in court in January of next year.
Daigneault’s trial was originally scheduled for earlier this year, but was delayed after a COVID-19 outbreak in the Calgary Remand Centre, where he was being kept.
