On Jan. 13, Supreme Court in Yellowknife was told that Ronald Arthur Boucher, while in a boat on Great Slave Lake, had fired in the direction of another boat.

Crown attorney Andrew Fox explains there was some animosity between Boucher's son and the victim in the other boat, and Boucher was attempting to scare the other man.

"It was fairly apparent he was not trying to kill anyone," Fox says.

Neither the victim nor his boat were hit, although Fox notes the complainant was terrified by the incident.

Boucher, 48, was sentenced to one day in jail, plus one year of probation, for assault with a weapon.

He was sentenced to one year in jail for use of a firearm while committing an indictable offence. One year is the minimum sentence for the charge. The sentence was reduced to four months when Boucher was given credit for the four months he was held on remand.

The court also imposed a 10-year firearms prohibition, except for hunting or employment.

Prior to the guilty pleas, a Supreme Court trial had been scheduled for last week in Fort Resolution.

Several other charges -- uttering threats, careless use of a firearm, pointing a firearm, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose --were stayed by the Crown.

Boucher had originally been charged with attempted murder for the shooting incident, but a preliminary inquiry found insufficient evidence to warrant that charge.