SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Albert Poitras, 31, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one charge of making counterfeit money.

Poitras did not speak while Judge Robert Gorin was present, but during a recess his significant other asked him about his plea.

"Guilty," he said, cupping both hands to his mouth. She told him hush, and not to say anything else.

Poitras was charged with making, possessing, and passing counterfeit money after police executed a search warrant on his home on March 17 and found $5, $50 and $100 counterfeit bills.

Crown prosecutor Danielle Vaillancourt said charges of possessing and passing counterfeit money will be withdrawn on conviction.

Poitras will appear again in territorial court on Thursday May 20 at 9:30 a.m. for sentencing. The maximum sentence for producing counterfeit money is 14 years.

Woman given the minimum for drinking and driving

A 20-year-old woman charged with drinking and driving on Nov. 28, 2008, pleaded guilty and was handed the minimum penalty in territorial court on Tuesday.

The woman said she had been assaulted before driving, and was using the vehicle to get away from her attacker.

Judge Robert Gorin said she could have found other legal ways to escape, but said he believes she would not have driven the vehicle if she had not been assaulted.

The woman is required to pay a $1,000 fine, and is prohibited from driving a vehicle for one year. The woman had no existing criminal record. She also does not possess a driver's licence, but the charge for driving without a licence was withdrawn.

Window breaker fined

A 41-year-old man charged with breaking a window at Yellowknife Shopper's Drug Mart while intoxicated was sentenced on May 18. He was ordered to pay $800 in fines and to replace the window valued at approximately $1,500.

The man was also found guilty of four counts of failing to appear in court.

The man said he attended a residential school from ages six to 14, and the trauma he experienced there manifested itself into reckless behaviour.

The man said at the time of the offence, he was trying to "drown some of his pain with alcohol."

Judge Robert Gorin left finding counselling up to the man's discretion.

Man resists arrest, gets probation

A 22-year-old Yellowknife man who was charged with resisting arrest was granted a conditional discharge Tuesday.

On Feb. 27, the man was intoxicated and arrested outside of Sam's Monkey Tree bar after he refused to comply with police requests. Defence lawyer Paul Falvo said he believes if alcohol had not been involved the man would have listened to police.

The man has no previous criminal record and has never appeared in court before.

He was sentenced to four months probation and is not allowed to consume or possess alcohol during that time. He must also serve 100 hours of community service and pay a $50 fine.