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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A 25-year-old man who says he saw the need to make changes in his life avoided further jail time thanks to a decision made by Judge Bernadette Schmaltz.

Andrew Bishop appeared in territorial court Tuesday regarding a handful of charges dating back to 2006.

Those charges, which Crown attorney Matthew Young referred to as Bishop's "summer 2006 crime spree," included assault with a weapon, two thefts - two cigarette cartons and a corndog - and failure to attend court. Bishop pleaded guilty.

Young asked for four to six months jail time for Bishop in order to "denounce" his behaviour.

Bishop, who as of Tuesday had been in Yellowknife custody for 39 days, was recently released from federal prison in Alberta where he served close to 16 months of an aggravated assault sentence.

NWT authorities issued a warrant for his arrest upon his release.

According to Bishop, he ended up in Grand Prairie, Alta., out of "cowardice" after fleeing the territory to escape his 2006 charges.

However, Bishop said, "While I was in federal prison I had a long, hard look at my life and decided a dramatic change was necessary."

Bishop, who said he starting drinking at age 12, smoking marijuana at 13 and doing crack-cocaine at 19, admitted he had "addictions that gripped (him)" at the time of the crimes. While in prison, though, Bishop completed his high school equivalency and made steps toward tackling his addictions, said defence lawyer Abdul Khan.

"I found him to be engaging and intelligent," Khan added.

Schmaltz said "I am optimistic that I am sentencing you in a very different light than back in 2006 when you committed these offences.

"I hope it is clear to you now the depths you can sink to because of addiction," she added.

Bishop was fined $600 for the two thefts and failure to appear charges.

He was also given three months in jail less double credit awarded for his six weeks in custody - essentially making Bishop a free man.