Yellowknife (Mar 05/04) - A Yellowknife man was sentenced to one year under house arrest Tuesday for smashing a beer glass into his brother's face during an argument over who was the better pool player.

The 25-year-old man pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in territorial court, stemming from the Oct. 18 incident.

According to an agreed statement of facts, the man -- who was drinking at the Polar Bowl -- began arguing with his brother over who had won more pool games.

During the argument, the 25-year-old clubbed his brother in the face with a beer glass, opening a gash up to three cm deep in places, said Crown attorney Sandra Aitken.

"The offence occurred for no real reason," said Aitken. "It was just senseless violence."

The blow was so forceful, it knocked out a couple of the man's teeth. Several shards of glass were imbedded in the wound, which took roughly 50 stitches to close.

The victim was transported to Stanton Territorial Hospital and eventually medevaced to Edmonton, where he underwent plastic surgery.

"He's going to have a permanent scar," said Aitken.

"(The attack) will be remembered by him every time he looks in the mirror."

Aitken argued the assault merited anywhere from nine months to a year in jail due to it's vicious and random nature.

"It could have happened to anyone there at the time," she said. "The community needs to be safeguarded."

The man's defence lawyer, Margot Engley, said it was unlikely her client -- who had never been convicted of a violent offence before -- would commit a similar assault in the future.

"He really regrets what he did," said Engley, who noted the brothers are trying to repair their relationship.

The 25-year-old spent five days in psychiatric care at Stanton Territorial Hospital following the attack and enrolled in a drug and alcohol treatment program at the Salvation Army, said Engley.

The man, who has a wife and two children, has not had a drink in the five months since the incident, she said.