A Toronto man is the latest multiple murderer in Canada to be sentenced to life with consecutive periods of parole ineligibility, for brutally executing two innocent and unarmed men in a span of eight months in 2012.

The “just and proportionate” sentence means Mauro Granados-Arana, 28, will not be eligible to apply for full parole for 41 years, when he is 63 years old, Ontario Superior Court Justice Ken Campbell said Thursday.

“As a just and caring society that values each and every individual member, we must resolutely condemn and denounce the actions of violent offenders who commit multiple murders,” Campbell said reading his decision in court.

“It is important that potential offenders realize there is no longer any sentencing discount for the commission of multiple murders.”

He added that, in the circumstances of these cases, “concurrent parole ineligibility periods would fail to provide the necessary components of denunciation and deterrence.”

The judge listed 11 Canadian cases where trial judges have imposed consecutive periods of parole ineligibility for killers of more than one person, including the recent sentencing of Dellen Millard and Mark Smich for 50 years each for murdering Tim Bosma and Laura Babcock.

Granados-Arana was convicted of second-degree murder for the January 2012 murder of Jamahl Franklin, 20, whom he shot in the back as he tried to run away. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with no ability to apply for parole for 16 years.

Eight months later, Granados-Arana subjected George Fawell, 24, to a prolonged and brutal beating before stabbing him to death. His body was left beside train tracks behind Jimmie Simpson Park in Leslieville.

Granados-Arana was convicted of first-degree murder and received an automatic sentence of life imprisonment without parole eligibility for 25 years.

The only issue for the judge to decide was whether he should make the parole eligibility period consecutive.

Campbell had earlier rejected the accused’s attempt to challenge the constitutional validity of the Criminal Code section giving judges the discretion to impose periods of consecutive parole ineligibility. The legislation was introduced by parliament in 2011.

In his ruling, the judge said these two, entirely separate, unrelated murders are “precisely the kind of factual circumstances” that warrant additional punishment.

“The imposition of concurrent terms of parole inegilibilty in these circumstances would have the effect of wholly devaluing the life of Jamahl Franklin,” Campbell said.

As they left the courtroom, Fawell’s friends and family said they were relieved by the judge’s decision.

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“It’s definitely a just sentence, otherwise he gets one (murder) for free,” said the victim’s aunt, Deanne Parlee. “I hope I can sleep now.”

Homicide Det.-Sgt Gary Giroux, the lead investigator, said “this is exactly what the (Criminal Code) section was made for. His crimes were the epitome of true cowardice.”