Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 12/01) - On Sept. 24, a young man from Deline broke down in tears and admitted to police he was guilty of six separate break-and-enter charges.

The 20-year-old, who is addicted to inhaling solvents, was desperately searching for a fix the night he committed the crimes.

Last week, as NWT communities finalized plans to promote National Addictions Awareness Week, the man was sentenced to five months in jail.

A man with a tragic past and a need to feed an addiction to solvents found out Nov. 6 that he is going to prison.

In territorial court in Yellowknife, Judge Michel Bourassa sentenced the 20-year-old man from Deline to five months in jail for six separate charges of break and enter.

The man, who was in search of solvents, broke into six housing units under construction in Deline, Sept. 22. He caused more than $1,200 in damage, mostly to the doors of the units, and found tubes of glue in one. He tearfully admitted to the crimes at the local police detachment two days later, on Sept. 24.

"The court would be unrealistic not to see there is a chronic addiction to substances," Bourassa said, citing the man's attempts to get high using glue, propane, gas and alcohol.

"I can't say (custody) will have such an effect on him that he will stop his abuse."

The judge noted the man's history of severe abuse during his upbringing.

He added he would write a letter advising the man receive addiction treatment in jail, and counselling during one-year probation after serving five months.

"I don't know how anyone can live through the background this man has lived through and come out unscarred," Bourassa said.