SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A Yellowknife man who terrorized a woman and her son after a bad break-up by repeatedly breaking no-contact orders, including pitching a tent in her backyard, was given a one-year jail term Jan. 6 in territorial court.

"The accused is laughing at the court and doesn't care about court orders," Crown prosecutor Marc Lecorre said.

On June 22, 2010, the 42-year-old man went to his former girlfriend's Sissons Court home at 8:50 p.m. to borrow money. When she refused, the intoxicated man became angry and threatened to wreck her house and all of the belongings - which they purchased together - with an axe. The woman and her seven-year-old son fled the house in fear and contacted the RCMP. When the RCMP arrived, the offender had barricaded himself inside the home.

While holding a crowbar, he began taunting the officers through a ground floor window by asking them "is that all you got - four members?" and telling them to "come in and get me."

The officers did just that.

One officer pepper sprayed the man through the window as another officer entered the home, who tackled and handcuffed him, said Lecorre.

The offender was released the next day on a condition to have no contact with the woman and stay away from alcohol. He was able to do so for a couple of months, but then on Aug. 26 he began calling and e-mailing the woman.

This escalated to the point where, on Aug. 31, the offender pitched a tent in the woman's backyard and pounded on her door, yelling and screaming. Police arrested him at 1:21 a.m.

This time, the offender was sent to the North Slave Correctional Centre to await his next court appearance, but that still did not stop him from contacting the woman. While in custody, he called her on Sept. 2 and then on her cell phone at least 10 times between Oct. 7 and Oct. 12, said Lecorre.

The man spared the court of a trial by pleading guilty Sept. 3 to breaking court conditions three times. He then pleaded guilty on Dec. 9 to mischief, uttering threats to destroy property, obstruction of justice and several other violations of court conditions.

He's been in jail since Aug. 31 awaiting the conclusion of his court matters.

Defence lawyer Peter Fuglsang explained that his client, originally from Rankin Inlet and a carpenter by trade, is working towards getting his life back on track after an "extremely hard" break-up with the woman.

The man confirmed this when he addressed the court.

"She did love me and took care of me, but I ruined it," he said while wiping away tears.

Judge Bernadette Schmaltz cited 38 prior convictions or guilty pleas, including 16 for violence and nine involving breaches or related violations. Schmaltz chastised the man for showing a "callous disregard" for the victim and her son, and for making their lives "unbearable," especially given that the woman is undergoing treatment for cancer.

Besides the jail term, he received two years probation.

Schmaltz stressed to the offender that during this time he is to have no contact with the victim or her son "whatsoever."

The man said he understood.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.