Yellowknife (Jan 19/05) - An Inuvialuit man who overcame many hardships in his life to earn a university degree, become an author and be employed high in the ranks of the territorial government, couldn't surmount one more obstacle this week - the justice system.

Edward Kolausok, the award-winning author formerly of Aklavik, now living in Yellowknife, appeared before the NWT Court of Appeal, Tuesday, to fight a three-year sentence for sexual assault, handed down on June 24, 2004.

The 42-year-old Kolausok was convicted in May for the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl.

According to the record of the trial, the girl had gone to Kolausok's Yellowknife home April 12, 2003, to meet his son.

After she got drunk and with the son still not home, he offered her his son's bed to sleep in until his return.

The teenager woke up a few hours later naked and with Kolausok having sex with her.

During the appeal, Kolausok's lawyer, Alexander Pringle called the trial a "miscarriage of justice."

He told a panel of three appeal court Justices that Boyd had not been aggressive on certain issues during the trial.

The panel of Madame Chief Justice Frasier, Madame Justice Conrad and Mr. Justice Tallis dismissed all five grounds of appeal brought forward by Pringle as Kolausok sat in the prisoner's box.

After a short break, the Justice panel returned for the sentencing.

80 letters of support

Eighty letters of support from friends and members of the community - and the assurance from Pringle that his client had overcome a troubled childhood to become a valued member of society - didn't sway the panel.

They upheld the June sentencing by Justice Ted Richard to three years in prison for sexual assault.

Kolausok had been released on bail prior to the hearing of the appeal, but had to surrender himself to Yellowknife RCMP 48 hours prior to his appeal.

Unlike his other court appearances, there were no outbursts and no emotion shown in the courtroom as Kolausok was remanded into custody.