SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Four of the five parties charged under the NWT Safety Act in relation to an accident at the Snare Hydro Power Plant pleaded not guilty in territorial court on Tuesday.

Carter Industries Ltd., Mandeville Engineering Inc., NWT Power Corporation are facing 15 charges, and Lloyd Mandeville – one of two individuals named – is facing 25 counts of safety violations.

Tim Boyce, an employee with Carter Industries who is also charged with 25 safety violations, failed to appear. The court issued a warrant for his arrest.

A trial date is scheduled to be set on Dec. 8.

In June 2008, rigging snapped and a pre-fabricated bridge fell on Tim Mcauley's leg, causing part of it to be amputated. Mcauley was working as an equipment operator for Carter Industries, a contractor for the NWT Power Corporation, when the incident occurred. The hydro power plant is located 140 km northwest of Yellowknife.

Child porn case adjourned till December

A man facing two child pornography charges appeared in territorial court Tuesday but his case won't proceed until December.

Harold Jerome Wedgerfield faces one count of possessing child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography. The Crown elected to proceed by summary offence, which entails a fine of up to $5,000 or six months in jail if there is a conviction.

Crown prosecutor Shannon Smallwood said the Crown is still waiting for a completed forensic analysis. The case was adjourned until Dec. 15. Wedgerfield is not in custody.

He was one of two NWT residents charged in relation to Project Salvo, Canada's largest child pornography bust.

More than 50 people from across Canada were arrested in March.

The Crown stayed charges against the other NWT resident charged in relation to the investigation when the case came before the territorial court in Hay River.

Arrest warrant issued

Judge Robert Gorin issued an arrest warrant for a 20-year-old charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000 and dangerous driving, when he failed to show up in territorial court Tuesday.

Akeeshoo Papatsie has been charged in relation to a stolen City of Yellowknife truck that 17-year-old Ashley McClean was later driving when she was involved in a fatal rollover on Old Airport Road at approximately 1:30 a.m. on July 23.

Police said McClean was the only person in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

The charges against Papatsie stem from earlier in the evening, when police said the vehicle was being driven erratically.

The Crown was to elect how to proceed Tuesday but Papatsie didn't enter the courtroom when his name was called.