Yellowknife (Apr 10/06) - A Hay River man was sentenced to four months in jail for forgetting to show up for his Supreme Court trial date in February.

August Darren Poitras was to stand trial by jury on a charge of break and enter in Yellowknife on Feb. 20.

Despite being served a summons two days prior to the trial, Poitras did not show up.

On March 23, Poitras was picked up by police in Hay River.

He pleaded guilty to the break and enter and failure to appear in court in Yellowknife territorial court on April 4.

Defence lawyer Hugh Latimer said the man was under the influence of cocaine and he let the drug overcome him.

Judge Robert Gorin said such behaviour was "not new" for Poitras.

Gorin told Poitras he made no attempt to turn himself in and he allowed himself to be under the influence of cocaine.