Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 26/01) - A who man became highly emotional while police attempted to take his son into the custody of social services was sentenced to two weeks in jail.

On June 7 police went to the man's apartment after he did not respond to calls from the department.

An RCMP officer located the 14-year-old son under the covers of the man's bed, where his other infant son was also hiding. The boy had been undergoing mandatory alcohol treatment when he went missing.

His 27-year-old father became angry and started to shout profanities at the officer, who was forced to call for backup.

"It has to be brought home to (the offender) that no matter what his feelings, they had the right to be there," said Judge Michel Bourassa.

The man, charged with wilfully obstructing a police officer, pleaded guilty.

According to testimony the man also lunged at the officer, forcing her to spray him with a dose of pepper spray, while the infant was in the room.

"In a way I can understand the emotional response but that in no way condones it," Bourassa said. "Especially in light of the presence of the other child."

The man will serve his two-week sentence intermittently while he has time off from his out of town job.