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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A 27-year-old man pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after eluding police during a high speed chase on Highway 3.

Jason Larocque was given a total of 20 months in jail on Friday after being convicted for dangerous driving and driving while disqualified, stemming from an incident on Sept. 18, 2008. He contested the allegation by the Crown that he was intoxicated on the night in question and testified in court on Thursday he had not been drinking alcohol.

Two RCMP officers testified that Larocque had smelled of alcohol, had red eyes and slurred speech. Judge Robert Gorin ruled Larocque had "provided a number of conflicting statements," concerning whether or not he had been drinking and found he was intoxicated during the police pursuit.

Larocque admitted he agreed to drive the car from Yellowknife to Fort Providence for a friend who was heavily intoxicated. He had been caught driving northbound on the highway on the way back to Yellowknife. Larocque was caught exceeding speeds of 180 kilometres an hour in a 90 km/h zone.

According to Crown prosecutor Mike Himmelman, Larocque has approximately 24 previous convictions on his criminal record, including one prior charge of fleeing from police.

"It's a staggering record," he said on Thursday.

Larocque was also convicted on one charge of assault causing bodily harm after he pleaded guilty to assaulting a man on July 27, 2008 in Yellowknife.

"This was a very dangerous assault to kick and punch someone in the head," said Himmelman. Larocque beat a man after the two got into an altercation until the man was unconscious. The victim suffered swelling and bruising in his face.

"The facts are serious," said Gorin of the assault. "People are often killed as a result of such conduct."

Gorin gave Larocque 15 months in jail for dangerous driving and an additional five months for driving while disqualified, in addition to a 10 year driving ban. A charge of driving while intoxicated had been withdrawn, but was still considered an aggravating factor.

For the assault causing bodily harm and a breach charge, Larocque will not spend any additional time in jail on those convictions, as he has been in remand for four months and was credited with time served. He was handed a five-year firearms prohibition and must submit to a mandatory DNA order.