SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A Yellowknife man pleaded guilty last week to exposing himself and two counts of causing a disturbance but was acquitted of sexual assault.

Joseph Poodlat, formerly of Taloyoak, pleaded guilty in territorial court on Sept. 10 to charges relating to several incidents which occurred between July 10 and 13, including disturbing the peace and exposing himself in a public place.

Crown prosecutor Dwayne Praught said Poodlat was removed by police from the downtown Extra Foods parking lot a number of times after customers complained. Praught said on one occasion, Poodlat revealed his genitalia and tried to urinate on the building.

Poodlat was also facing a charge of sexual assault relating to an incident on April 8 while he was an inmate at the North Slave Correctional Centre.

The complainant, a staff member at the jail, testified she was working in the kitchen when she walked past Poodlat and he intentionally collided with her, slipping his hand over her buttocks. Seven inmates were working in the kitchen at the time of the incident. The correctional facility has a policy of no physical contact between staff and inmates.

Judge Bernadette Schmaltz acquitted Poodlat of the charge, saying there was reasonable doubt about what happened. She said the victim may have interpreted the action differently than Poodlat intended.

At the time the incident took place, Poodlat had only two weeks left in jail for a prior conviction.

"I had 14 days, why would I want to touch the butt?" Poodlat asked during his testimony.

The accused, who is in his late 50s, appeared confused during cross examination. He told the court he didn't recognize one of the Crown's witnesses, Blair Vanmetre, a supervisor at the correctional centre.

Schmaltz sentenced him to three months in prison, but he will not spend any further time in jail since he was given credit for time served. Poodlat, who has a lengthy criminal record including violent offences, had been held in custody since his arrest in July.

He was released on Friday, Sept. 12. Schmaltz warned him to keep his pants on and stay away from alcohol.