SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A man who tried to pry open the bay door at the downtown liquor store was sentenced to 90 days in jail for that crime and for resisting arrest in territorial court on Dec. 8.

"The (attempted) break and enter into the liquor store should tell you something," Judge Bernadette Schmaltz told the offender. "It's up to you. I can't force you to change."

Crown attorney Danielle Vaillancourt told the court that police spotted the accused and two other men using a two-by-four piece of wood to wedge the liquor store's bay door partially open at 1:45 a.m. on Oct. 13. Two of the offenders became aware of the police and fled down an alley, ignoring the RCMP officers' calls for them to stop and that they were under arrest.

The man was also sentenced for a number of other charges on Dec. 8. He received 30 days in jail for missing two appointments with his probation officer between Sept. 24 and Oct. 1. He was also sentenced for not showing up to the North Slave Correctional Centre on Oct. 15 and Oct. 22 while he was already serving a 90-day sentence on weekends.

For unlawfully being at large, Schmaltz gave him another 30 days of jail. With 10 days credit, the total jail time for all his offences is 140 days.

Both other men involved have already been sentenced to 60 days each in jail for the attempted break-in.

Vaillancourt asked for a jail term of six to eight months. She noted the man has a criminal record with a history of failing to abide by probation orders. "His record is getting longer and longer," she said.

Defence lawyer Tracy Bock requested a jail term of four months. He admitted that his client has trouble abiding by probation orders, especially the condition that he abstain from alcohol.

Bock told the court his client is originally from Cambridge Bay. When he was four years old, he was taken from his parents and placed in group homes.

He has been in Yellowknife for six years and is currently taking academic upgrading courses and eventually wants to go to college and learn a trade.

The man chose not to address the court when given the opportunity.

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