SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A Gameti man was sentenced last week to nine months in jail after pleading guilty to spousal assault, resisting arrest, failing to comply with probation conditions and failing to attend court.

Terry James Vital, 34, was given six month's credit for time served while awaiting sentencing.

He's also facing a second-degree murder charge related to the death of his spouse, Alice Black. Vital had six prior violent convictions, two of which involved attacks on Black. Vital will remain in custody until the murder trial takes place.

Black, 31, died in Gameti on Feb. 27. An autopsy determined she had sustained lethal blows to the head.

Back on Feb. 9, Black had called police from the Yellowknife Inn at 3 a.m. on Feb. 9, 2008 to report the assault dealt with in court last week.

Vital had kicked her in the face and she bore a bloody, swollen mouth. Vital then passed out on the bed, drunk. Black was too afraid to call for help until he had passed out, Crown prosecutor Shannon Smallwood said.

While the circumstances were recounted in court, photos the police had taken of the injured Black were passed to the judge and shown to the defence. Vital showed no visible reaction when the photos were before him.

"Society does not (tolerate) assaults on spouse," Judge Richard McIntosh said to Vital, a father of five.

Vital is due back in court on Sept. 8, to set a date for his preliminary hearing in the murder charge in connection with Black's death.