Yellowknife (Jan 14/05) - A Yellowknife man lost his licence for a year on Tuesday after ignoring police warnings to not drink and drive.

Officers spotted Larry Rabesca sitting behind the wheel of a car in a Bigelow Crescent driveway on Nov. 28. He appeared to be drunk and told officers the car belonged to a friend, who had just run inside, according to Crown attorney Sandra Aitken.

While he could have been charged with impaired driving for being behind the wheel, officers took the keys and gave him a warning, said Aitken.

An hour later, the same officers spotted Rabesca driving down Franklin at approximately 60km an hour.

When they pulled him over, Rabesca's eyes were bloodshot, his speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet, said Aitken. He refused to take a breathalyser exam.

On Tuesday in territorial court, the 29-year-old pleaded guilty to failing to provide a breath sample.

Judge Bernadette Schmaltz fined him $920 and banned him from driving for a year.

Almost free money

A Yellowknife man was fined in territorial court on Tuesday for racking up more than $800 on a credit card he found behind a downtown bar.

In addition to the $500 fine, Bernard Michel was placed on probation for three months.

Michel found a gold card behind the Right Spot bar and used it to rent several rooms at the Northern Lights Motel.

Staff became suspicious when Michel signed his own name on the guest registry, which was not the name on the credit card.

When staff members discovered the card was listed as stolen, they told Michel police were on the way, said Crown attorney Sandra Aitken.

He replied: "They can find me uptown." Officers located and arrested him, said Aitken.

Phone assault

A Yellowknife man who hit his common-law wife over the head with a portable phone was ordered to spend one day in jail on Tuesday.

Judge Bernadette Schmaltz said her decision was a "warning" and future incidents of domestic violence would likely result in a more substantial jail sentence.

"I'm dealing with it somewhat leniently today," she said.

The man's one-day sentence was served by his appearance in court.

The man and his wife spent the night of June 8 drinking in a downtown bar before retreating to their apartment where they continued to drink with an acquaintance.

At one point, the couple went into their bedroom and began to argue, Aitken said.

The man was apparently jealous that his partner had spent the evening talking with another man.

When she tried to call a neighbour, the man grabbed a portable phone and hit her once in the head. The woman was not seriously hurt, but Aitken said she there "could have been some significant injuries."

"Violence is never the proper way to deal with a dispute," Schmaltz told the man after he pleaded guilty to a single count of assault.