judgeAn Abbotsford man convicted of killing his estranged wife has received a four year jail sentence.

70 year old Robert McMath was convicted in December of 2013 of manslaughter in connection with the death of 64 year old Janice McMath in 2008.

Janice visited Robert to pick up mail and have a drink.

Robert testified after some wine they went out to the barn, where he decided to unload a rifle he had been using to protect his chickens from coyotes.

He says he stumbled and the gun went off, wounding Janice, who died in hospital 10 days later.

Robert was originally charged with second degree murder, but the judge decided there was reasonable doubt about whether the shooting was intentional and found him guilty of manslaughter instead.