Man accused of fatally beating hockey mom Julie Paskall pleads guilty

The man who allegedly beat Surrey mother Julie Paskall to death in December 2013 outside the Newton Arena has plead guilty in Surrey Provincial Court Friday of manslaughter.

Yosef Gopaul, now 28 years old, was accused of beating 53-year-old Paskall with a rock while she waited for her son to exit the ice arena on December 23, 2013. She was immediately taken to hospital but died several days later from her injuries.

While Gopaul was first charged with second-degree murder, he pleaded guilty of manslaughter, a lesser offence, today in court. Gopaul told the court it was not his intention to kill Paskall.

Both sides of the court agreed on a sentence of 12 years in prison with 18 months time served.

Gopaul has a lengthy criminal record with a total of 29 convictions dating back to when he was 16 years old.