SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A Yellowknife man who twice breached an emergency protection order to stay away from his ex-spouse was given six months in jail on Friday.

The 47-year-old man appeared in territorial court to plead guilty to breaching the order two times in the span of two weeks.

Crown prosecutor Roger Shepard told the court that on May 15 at 11 a.m. the convicted man's former spouse phoned RCMP from the Tree of Peace. She said she had gone outside her office and noticed her ex-spouse. Shepard said the woman attempted to walk away and "he shouted at her 'you owe me an apology for serving me those papers.'"

The man then ran towards his ex-spouse, who went to the Tree of Peace and called police.

Soon after the incident the man voluntarily went to the RCMP detachment and was arrested.

He pleaded guilty to a second charge of breaching the protection order on June 2 at 7 p.m.

"The man telephoned her residence three times and spoke to her directly," said Shepard. "He called one more time and left a message on her answering machine using foul language."

Shepard described the man's criminal record as "lengthy and very violent" with previous convictions for crimes against his former spouse.

The ex-husband, said Shepard, "either is not getting the message or is choosing to ignore the emergency protection order."

Defence lawyer Nikolaus Homberg, said his client "is remorseful."

He read a letter of support from the man's employer stating he is a reliable employee.

The man apologized to the court and said he was seeking help for an alcohol problem.

"I'm not sure you realize the seriousness of your actions," said Judge Bernadette Schmaltz. "She will be protected from you ... you are making that woman's life unbearable."

Schmaltz said the point of an emergency protection order is to "protect people and give them a sense of protection."

The man was given a total of six months in jail, a surcharge of $100 and a two year probation order, which included a restriction from contacting his ex-spouse.

"If you want to get some help, that's up to you," said Schmaltz.