Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 26/04) - A Yellowknife man was placed on probation for a month for pushing his wife when she didn't turn up the volume on his stereo quickly enough.

The 34-year-old man, who was drunk at the time, also admitted to pinching his wife's arm earlier that same week and shoving her a second time.

"I'm not dealing with a master criminal here," said Chief Judge Michel Bourassa, Tuesday in territorial court, after the man pleaded guilty to one count of assault.

"The violence with his wife is a manifestation of his lack of control while drunk," Bourassa continued.

On Feb. 7, the man was drinking at home with a friend when he ordered his wife to turn up the volume on the stereo. When she didn't do it, he pushed her.

The next morning she called police and reported two other incidents, including one where her husband pinched her arm, leaving a bruise.

The man was originally facing three counts of assault, but the Crown attorney's office stayed two of the charges after the man pleaded guilty.

Bourassa decided against imposing a jail sentence and instead placed the man on probation for 10 months. As part of the probation, Bourassa ordered the man to attend weekly meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous and meet with a probation officer on a regular basis. "If you want to give up drinking, here's your chance," said Bourassa.

The man has four convictions for drunk driving on his record, which Bourassa said was appalling given the fact that his previous girlfriend -- whom he was with for seven years -- died in a car accident.