The young man who stabbed a Carleton University student to death outside a McDonald's in a racially motivated attack in 2016 has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 13 years.

A jury convicted Jorden Larocque-Laplante of second-degree murder in February. He was automatically sentenced to life, and on Monday, Ontario Superior Court Justice Catherine Aitken rendered her decision about parole eligibility.

On Dec. 11, 2016, Larocque-Laplante stabbed 20-year-old Abdullah Al-Tutunji nine times with "significant force" in the parking lot of a McDonald's at Meadowlands and Prince of Wales, court heard Monday.

Larocque-Laplante, who was also 20 at the time, was on probation with a curfew and a drinking prohibition.

He had been charged with uttering threats and was granted a conditional discharge a few months before the stabbing, court heard.

Jorden Larocque-Laplante, seen here in a 2016 courthouse sketch, was charged with second-degree murder the day after the stabbing, and was convicted by a jury in February. (Court sketch by Laurie Foster-Macleod)

Racial taunts

The stabbing happened after Larocque-Laplante offended Al-Tutunji and Al-Tutunji's friend about their Middle Eastern heritage inside the restaurant, court heard.

Al-Tutunji swore at Larocque-Laplante, saying they didn't have to put up with what Larocque-Laplante was saying, and Larocque-Laplante's sister, who was with him, tried to calm Larocque-Laplante down.

But outside in the parking lot, Larocque-Laplante continued to taunt the two men, calling them names and threatening them with a knife.

Punches started flying, and after the fight subsided, Larocque-Laplante took a knife out of his pocket and stabbed Al-Tutunji repeatedly, court heard.

He then tried to chase down Al-Tutunji's friend before picking up his jacket and starting home. He later told police he had been jumped, which Aitken told court was "patently not true."

Appealing conviction

During the trial, which started in late January and ended in February, Larocque-Laplante testified he was drunk at the time of the stabbing and couldn't remember it.

Aitken told court during sentencing Monday that he drank continually to excess, in spite of the conditions of his discharge, and hung out with friends who were known to police. On the night in question, he was also carrying a prohibited weapon.

In jail, he was involved in five incidents that resulted in misconduct reports, including two fights, which Aitken told court does not "reflect well on his character."

But she also said he was young at the time of his crime, and that she believes his remorse is "genuine."

Larocque-Laplante's defence lawyer, Marc Ertel, said they're appealing the conviction, alleging errors during jury instructions, but have not yet made a decision about whether to appeal the sentence.