SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A 28-year-old man who grabbed another man's throat, stomped on him and threatened his life in an act of revenge was sentenced to one day in jail and fined $1,000.

Jeffery Rosnawski of Yellowknife appeared in territorial court and pleaded guilty to assault on Nov. 26.

Crown prosecutor Glen Boyd said the incident happened at 5 p.m. on May 6. Rosnawski was driving when he spotted the victim, who he was familiar with, and said, "I knew what you did. If you do it again, I'll kill you."

Rosnawski was accusing the other man of having assaulted someone else Rosnawski knew. He then assaulted the other man and left him on the side of the road.

"This appeared to be an unprovoked, vigilante-style attack," said Boyd.

Defence lawyer Abdul Khan said his client has applied for financial assistance and intended to enrol in a college program in January. He asked the court to give Rosnawski the opportunity to "become a productive member of society."

Deputy judge Michel Bourassa said regardless of the reason for the attack or what the victim did, it wasn't acceptable behaviour.

"You're here because you lost your temper, lost your head. You hunted him down and beat him up," said Bourassa. "It brings you down to his level."

Rosnawski said he wanted to move on with his life.

"I regret what I did. He's my friend. If he was here I'd apologize," he said of the victim.

Jail time for uninvited hotel guest

A man who broke into a first-floor hotel room and fell asleep watching television on Oct. 9 was sentenced to seven months in jail after he pleaded guilty to breaking and entering.

"Sorry for my actions. I'm only human," Charlie Ugyuk, 27, told the court on Nov. 26.

Crown prosecutor Glen Boyd said a hotel employee found a "highly intoxicated" Ugyuk in a first-floor hotel room and a struggle between the two ensued.

A second incident occurred on Nov. 8 at 1 p.m, when police were called to Javaroma where Ugyuk was causing a disturbance. Boyd said the accused was so drunk, he was frothing at the mouth.

"Whatever remorse is felt doesn't seem to be enough to translate into action," deputy judge Michel Bourassa said before sentencing Ugyuk to seven months in jail. "These are dangerous situations that can turn murderous at the flip of a finger."

Bourassa said it wasn't enough for Ugyuk to admit he had an alcohol problem if he didn't do anything about it.

"I remember you from years ago," said the semi-retired judge. "If you don't stop drinking then you'll be here in five years time."

Past catches up with cigarette thief

A man facing a slew of charges from incidents in Alberta and the NWT pleaded guilty to resisting arrest, theft, mischief, unlawfully being in a dwelling house, and numerous breaches of court orders on Nov. 27.

Christopher Joseph Carriere, 23, has already spent three months in custody but will be behind bars for another six.

Crown prosecutor Janice Walsh said Carriere stole two cartons of cigarettes from a gas station in Edmonton, failed to appear in court twice, and gave a fake name to police officers in Peace River, Alta., in 2007. This past summer he smashed a window at Boston Pizza in Yellowknife before breaking into a residence as he tried to run from police. He was arrested following that incident and has been in jail since.

"He ran away from the law. He had a bad crack cocaine addiction at the time," said defence lawyer Abdul Khan, adding his client hoped to start school in January.

"He's mellowed out," said Khan. "He now attends AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings and sharing circles and church."

Carriere told the judge he was willing to take responsibility for his actions and would accept whatever sentence he received.

Sitting beside Khan, he dropped his head towards his lap when the judge suggested 12 to 14 months would be an appropriate sentence.

"There's another way to live," deputy judge Michel Bourassa told him.