by Cheryl Leschasin
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 29/97) - A 31-year-old Yellowknife man received a jail term of three months and lost his driver's licence for a year in territorial court Tuesday, after pleading guilty to operating a motor vehicle while disqualified.

"One has to ask how many chances does an individual get," said Judge Michel Bourassa.

In other parts of the country, offenders are getting up to two years for repeat drinking and driving offences, said Bourassa.

This is the seventh drinking-and-driving-related charge Richard Peterson has faced. It is the second time he was found guilty of operating a motor vehicle while disqualified.

Peterson was caught by police earlier this year after being tipped off that he was driving himself to and from work at the airport.

Police observed Peterson leave his workplace early this summer in a vehicle registered to him. He was pulled over and arrested.

Sentencing was held off until now so Peterson could finish an ongoing contract work position before serving any jail time.

For his first driving-while-disqualified offence, Peterson had been given a 60-day intermittent sentence.

"Mr. Peterson is the author of his own misfortune," said Bourassa, before he handed down the latest sentence.

After sentencing, Peterson asked if there was a possibility that the sentence could be served intermittently.

Bourassa refused, saying, "You've had all your chances Mr. Peterson."