No one helped bitten woman
'It's sick' judge says of attack

by P.J. Harston
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 24/97) - A Yellowknife man who attacked his common-law wife while on parole for breaching probation was jailed for another 15 months, Tuesday.

Judge Michel Bourassa showed no mercy for 32-year-old Anthony Antoine, who has now been convicted of assaulting the same woman three times.

"It's sick," Bourassa said. "What do little kids learn when mom comes home with bite marks on her face? -- 'Oh, daddy bit me.' They learn a culture of violence."

Crown prosecutor Sandra Aitken said that early on Dec. 30, Antoine's wife went to a downtown motel -- where he was drinking -- to get her car because she feared he would drive while drunk.

When she appeared at the motel room where Antoine was with four others, he attacked her. He kneed her in the head, pulled her by the hair to the ground, pinned her down and bit her face.

"She screamed out, but none of the four others in the room came to her assistance," said Aitken.

The victim was able to break free. She left the room and contacted police.

Aitken asked Bourassa to sentence Antoine to nine or 10 months for breaking the conditions of his previous sentence and for the "serious" assault.

Antoine's criminal record includes about 30 convictions since 1980, and including several assaults and at least one sexual assault.

Defence lawyer Brent Clute asked Bourassa to sentence his client, who cares for and supports two children, to four or five months for the assault and a portion of the 10 months remaining on the conditional sentence he was serving when caught.

"He provides for the family by carving, and I understand he is quite a talented artist," said Clute.

Bourassa rejected both Crown and defence suggestions in favor of five months and 15 days on the assault in addition to the entire remainder of the conditional sentence, for a total of 15-and-a-half months in jail.

"At this point in the man's career, my obligation as a judge is to the public's safety ... to see that there aren't another 30 victims over the next 17 years," said Bourassa.