Yellowknife (Dec 08/06) - A Behchoko man was sentenced to six years in prison Monday, for a two-day-long assault that left the victim so battered she needed surgery.

In his sentencing, Chief Justice Ted Richard credited Gary Football 32 months for the 16 months he had already spent at the North Slave Correctional Facility awaiting trial. Football will serve another three-and-a-half years in prison.

In addition to aggravated assault, Football had also been charged with forcible confinement and uttering threats, but Crown counsel stayed these charges.

Football pleaded guilty at the start of his jury trial on Monday, which was scheduled to last two weeks. According to an agreed statement of facts submitted to court, Football and the victim had been in Yellowknife drinking on Aug. 20, 2005. They returned to Behchoko separately.

When the victim arrived home after a period of "substantial drinking," Football hit her on the head, causing her to black out.

After two days, the victim managed to escape the house and go to a neighbour's home.

The victim was taken to the Behchoko Health Centre, then transported to Stanton Territorial Hospital by ambulance, and finally air-lifted to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton.

The victim's injuries included a brain injury, collapsed lungs, bruises all over her body, and a six millimetre laceration of her vagina, which required surgery.