IQALUIT - A 21-year-old man received a one-day jail sentence June 18 after pleading guilty to assaulting a man who tried to sell him a half-empty bottle of liquor.

Chief Justice Beverley Browne said the sentence was considered served by the man's appearance at court.

Defence lawyer Scott Wheildon said the victim had swung first and then ran. The 21-year-old, already intoxicated, chased the victim down and beat him to the ground.

Wheildon said the young man, who was visibly holding back tears and his voice shaking in court, had a history of community service, including hunting country food for elders in Iqaluit. He has also been a skilled athlete in basketball, soccer and hockey, and last year travelled overland from Iqaluit to Pond Inlet. Wheildon said "This is a young man with a bright future."

In addition to the one-day sentence, the young man must serve 25 hours of community service, a year's probation with conditions of not drinking and being of good behaviour, and must write a letter of apology to the victim.

Browne told the man if he violated any of the conditions of his release, she would send him to jail.

Kids attend father's sentencing

On Wednesday, June 17, Willie Onalik received a six-month conditional sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting a woman.

Onalik's two school-age children were with him as he appeared in court because he said he was unable to find a sitter to look after them. He has prior convictions for assaulting his previous partner, the children's mother, who committed suicide in 2005.

"I tried to be a better person, but I just fell off the wagon," Onalik told the court.

He was heavily intoxicated at the time and said he has no memory of the incident, but did not dispute the woman's version of events.

A conditional sentence means he will not go to jail unless he breaches one of the conditions set by the court, which include staying out of trouble and avoiding alcohol. After that, he will also serve a year's probation.

He must also perform 50 hours of community service and stay away from the woman.