By Shannon Kari | National Post

TORONTO, CANADA — An Ethiopian refugee who stabbed his girlfriend to death in her Toronto apartment will have to spend at least 18 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.

Arssei Hindessa, 33, convicted this spring of second-degree murder in the May, 2006, death of 20-year-old Natalie Novak, looked straight ahead and showed no emotion as he was sentenced Monday morning by Ontario Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy.

“The murder was the final installment in the history of violence against Ms. Novak,” noted the judge. “She stood up to him. She told him it was over. He killed her,” the judge observed, with several family members and friends of Ms. Novak in court.

Hindessa had already been convicted twice of assaulting Ms. Novak, a student at Ryerson University in Toronto, when he stabbed her to death after she explained she wanted to end their two-year-long relationship.

Ms. Novak was attacked in her bedroom. She was stabbed at least nine times in the chest area and there were many defensive wounds. “Natalie Novak fought for her life,” observed Judge Molloy.

Hindessa also slashed the throat of his girlfriend before he fled her apartment and threatened to commit suicide a few hours later by jumping off a bridge, when arrested by police.

The Ontario Court of Appeal has concluded that the normal range for someone convicted of second-degree murder in a domestic situation is a life sentence with no parole for at least 12 to 15 years.

There were several aggravating factors in the death of Ms. Novak, which is why Judge Molloy said she was imposing a longer prison term before Hindessa can apply for parole.

Hindessa arrived in Canada as a refugee at the age of 25. The judge accepted that he had been imprisoned and tortured in Ethiopia, but she was skeptical about his claims of paranoia and mental illness.

Judge Molloy pointed out that the jury flatly rejected the testimony of Hindessa and his assertion that he was drunk and hallucinating and saw a “seven-headed beast” when he stabbed Ms. Novak. The judge added that she found Hindessa’s expressions of remorse at the sentencing hearing to be “hollow words” aimed at reducing the time he has to spend in prison.

Crown attorney Mary Humphrey had asked for Hindessa to serve between 18 to 25 years in prison before he can apply for parole.

Judge Molloy noted that she must apply “parity” in sentencing, as she explained why she was not imposing parole ineligibility of more than 18 years.

“Natalie was adored, nurtured and treasured by her family and friends. I am aware of the utter devastation caused by her death, said the judge.

When imposing a sentence though, “we do not differentiate between a lovely young woman and the killing of any other human being,” said Judge Molloy.