Yellowknife (Aug 25/06) - A man who admitted in court to trying to break into Kam Lake building was ordered to stand trial after a territorial court judge threw out his guilty plea.

Norman Charles Koe, 39, admitted to trying to break into a Metcor office, owned by the North Slave Metis Alliance, July 27. He also pleaded guilty to two other charges.

"My main concern is for me to do my time in jail and get out of there," he said.

Territorial court judge Robert Gorin dismissed the plea in connection to the Metcor charge and set an October trial date.

"In my view, counsel should not have assisted him in entering a guilty plea," said Gorin.

Crown counsel Shannon Smallwood told the court that witnesses saw Koe stand on a swivel chair as he attempted to climb in through a window on the Metcor building.

Koe's lawyer, Jennifer Duncan, said Koe was trying to close an open window on the Enterprise Drive building.

"He did have some items inside the building," she said.

Gorin responded: "Is he saying he wasn't trying to break into the building?"

"That's part of what I'm saying," answered Koe. "I had tools in the shed in front of the building, but I forgot my keys."

Koe was convicted of two other charges during Tuesday's court session: one count of uttering threats and one count of mischief.

Koe was convicted of telling a Discovery Inn staff member he would, "Kill him and stomp on him with steel toe boots", on Dec. 23, 2005.

In June of this year, Koe was also caught in a house on 51st Street without permission. Gorin said he could not ignore Koe's criminal record, which includes 36 convictions, and called it "highly aggravating."

The judge sentenced Koe to six months in jail, minus two months credit for time he spent in custody awaiting trial.

Koe will have to appear in court Sept. 26 to confirm new counsel for his upcoming trial.