Yellowknife (Aug 01/03) - On June 17, police received a complaint that a man was holding a knife at the Yellowknife Inn, and saying someone was trying to attack him.

When police arrested and searched Travis Bourke, they found 0.2 grams of crack cocaine left in his pipe.

The 27-year-old man has about 45 past criminal convictions and was on probation at the time. He pleaded guilty to the charge in territorial court Tuesday.

Crown prosecutor Darren Mahoney asked for four to five months in jail. But defence lawyer James Brydon said Bourke has spent 45 days in a cell by himself at Yellowknife Correctional Centre, and was only allowed out of the cell for an hour each day.

Brydon provided case law and asked the judge to give his client credit for more than double his pre-trial custody.

Judge Michel Bourassa said he would take into account Bourkes pre-trial custody.

Bourke told the court he has sought counselling for his addiction. I do want to quit smoking crack, he said.

Bourassa sentenced him to three months and 45 days in jail.