The 29 year-old man charged in the September 2016 beating death of a co-worker has been sentenced to five years in prison minus time already served.

Justin Bird pleaded guilty to manslaughter in June 2017 after admitting to beating 25 year-old Zachary Straughan with a pool cue at the bowling alley in Winkler. Both men were in Winkler as part of a work crew and, according to Straughan's girlfriend, the two got into a fight over a $16 bill.

The Judge's sentence, handed down Monday at Provincial Court in Portage la Prairie, means Bird has about three years left to serve in prison. Bird has also been given a 10 year weapons prohibition and he has to submit his DNA to a database.