Yellowknife (May 21/03) - She was new to Yellowknife, and he said he would walk her home. Instead, he led her to a secluded area and brutally raped her twice.

Friday in Supreme Court, Lee Todd Laviolette was sentenced to three years in prison for the June 2002 sexual assault.

According to a statement of facts agreed to by Crown prosecutor Andrew Fox and defence counsel James Brydon, the 23-year-old woman moved to Yellowknife on June 4, 2002 to work as a caregiver.

The next night, she went to a number of bars. At closing time, she was getting into a cab with some people she met that evening when a stranger approached her and said not to get into the car with "those people 'cause they'll hurt you."

He indicated to her he would take her home, and they walked down the street together. Being new to Yellowknife, she was slow to realize they weren't going the right way. Laviolette told her they were taking a short cut. Both were intoxicated.

Once they got near the rocky area by the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, he grabbed the woman and threw her to the ground. She struggled but he held his arm against her neck and she felt like she was choking.

She continued to struggle and call for help while he raped her. She almost got away but he grabbed her and pushed her down again. She begged him "Please don't kill me" and he appeared to laugh.

He raped the woman again and then passed out on the rocks. The woman waited until she was certain he was passed out, and took off her shoes so he would not hear her.

She fled to the RCMP detachment, and police found her sobbing in the parking lot. They found Laviolette passed out where she said he would be, wearing the clothing she described.

She was taken to hospital and, treated for injuries. She still suffers from severe emotional trauma.

Before sentencing, Laviolette gave a lengthy speech.

"I truly apologize if I offended anybody," he said. The father of three said he is not a bad person and broke into tears, saying he will not be back in court.

"I wouldn't want to go through this abuse again," he said.

He blamed the assault on alcohol.

Laviolette suffers from some kind of emotional and mental dysfunction, said Justice Ted Richard.

"The cruel and brutal nature of what he did tells me he is ill, that this was more than simply sexual gratification."

Laviolette has a string of convictions for violent crimes, including one for sexual assault in 1999.

Richard said he would sentence Laviolette to a five to six year sentence, except that he pleaded guilty, sparing the victim the ordeal of testifying.

He has also been in custody since the assault, said Richard.

Richard said the man will have an opportunity to access treatment while in prison.