Yellowknife (Apr 21/06) - A Yellowknife man who hit an RCMP officer during a scuffle outside a downtown bar in December was fined $1,250.

Appearing in court Tuesday, James Andrew Sayine, 43, was also ordered to pay a 15 per cent victims of crime surcharge plus serve one day in jail for the Dec. 7, 2005, incident outside the Gold Range.

Last December, this man was arrested after a scuffle with an RCMP officer. He appeared in territorial court this week and was given a large fine for assaulting a police officer. - NNSL file photo -

Yellowknife RCMP was called to the bar after a man refused to leave the premises.

The officer arrived on the scene and found Sayine intoxicated and belligerent, the court was told.

Sayine refused to leave, at which time he was advised he was under arrest.

The officer called for backup after the man still refused to leave.

Sayine finally went outside with the officer and told him he had no place to go.

The officer again told him he was under arrest, but Sayine pushed away from the officer.

As Sayine was leaning against the RCMP cruiser, he punched the officer in the head.

A scuffle ensued, resulting in both the officer and Sayine on the ground.

Sayine was knocked unconscious after he hit his head on the ground. The police officer hurt his right shoulder. Sayine was brought to Stanton Territorial hospital, treated and later released.

The officer was subsequently diagnosed with a torn muscle in the back of his shoulder and remains on desk duty.

The Crown characterized the offence as a senseless, random act of violence against a peace officer.

Judge Michel Bourassa said if the man had simply gone outside with the RCMP, he probably would have been given a drive somewhere.

"Peace officers have to be protected," Bourassa said.

"I don't know why you feel there was the need to get this drunk. About 99 per cent of criminal offenses occur when people are drunk," Bourassa told the man.