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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A man who threatened to kill himself in an armed standoff with RCMP was sentenced Wednesday to eight months in jail.

The 43-year-old man had threatened to kill his ex-wife and child in the early morning hours of Nov. 23. RCMP arrived to find him holding a 12-gauge shotgun to his chin.

The man originally faced 11 criminal charges in relation to the incident. He was convicted of assault, uttering death threats, possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes and careless use of a firearm, all to which he pleaded guilty. The remaining seven charges were stayed by the Crown.

Crown prosecutor Janice Walsh told Territorial Court that after a night of drinking, the man came home to the residence he shared with another man and the roommate's two sons. The man's son was also in the home that night.

He then called his ex-wife and threatened to kill her and their son if she did not come pick the boy up, said Walsh. When the ex-wife arrived at the residence with her sister, the man choked his ex-wife, pulled her from the car, threw her to the ground and continued to assault her.

When RCMP arrived on the scene they first arrested the man's roommate by mistake. One officer heard the roommate say "go, go, go" under his breath and that's when police spotted the 43-year-old man in a doorway with the gun to his chin.

"He stated to the officers, 'go away or I'll do it,'" said Walsh.

RCMP negotiated with the man until he eventually surrendered with no shots fired.

Walsh said one of the roommate's young children, who was in the residence at the time of the incident, told police he heard the man say, "The last bullet's for me," and, "If any cops come in my house, I'll kill them."

Defence attorney Stephen Shabala told the court the man had "a very cruel upbringing." He also said there was no shell in the shotgun used during the incident.

The man spoke to the court apologizing for "anyone I hurt ... I'd also like to thank (the RCMP) because they did such a good job."

Judge Robert Gorin said any sentence that did not include incarceration would be "insufficient."

"I also note in the past you have behaved in a criminal manner simply to get attention," said Gorin.

Gorin said the Nov. 23 incident "was caused at least by some extent to have attention on you."

The man received a total sentence of eight months in jail and a fine of $200. He will be on probation for one year after his release, must submit to a 10-year firearms prohibition and is not to have contact with his ex-wife or child unless he is speaking to his child by phone or with a third party present.