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DELINE/FORT FRANKLIN
A 30-year-old Deline woman pleaded guilty in Yellowknife Territorial Court last week to assaulting a police officer, a female elder and another Deline resident.

Joyce Neyelle is in jail awaiting a pre-sentence report before sentencing on Jan. 18.

One assault took place on April 25, 2011, after RCMP responded to a complaint about a group of intoxicated people in Deline. Police arrested Neyelle and as officers were escorting her to the RCMP vehicle, Neyelle removed her shoe and threw it at an officer, hitting him in the forehead and knocking off his glasses and hat.

She was released on conditions, including to stop consuming alcohol, but on May 15, Neyelle was again arrested in the community for being intoxicated. She was "slobbering on her sweater and trying to get away" from police, according to the statement of facts read by Crown prosecutor Wendy Miller in court on Jan. 8. Furthermore, Neyelle kicked at the officers and once she was in the police vehicle, she slammed her head into the bars on the inside of the car.

She was charged and released from jail.

On July 17, Neyelle failed to appear in court and a warrant was issued for her arrest.

She was arrested on Dec. 22, nine days after another two assaults that occurred in a Deline residence.

Those assaults occurred on Dec. 13. At 1:04 a.m., RCMP received a call reporting the assault of two people. Neyelle entered the bedroom of a 70-year-old elder's home and started arguing and yelling at the woman that she wanted to stay in the home. The elder had been in bed at the time. Neyelle then struck the elder in the chest. A man was in the home at the time and heard Neyelle yelling in the bedroom and saw a "backhand swing" at the elder. Neyelle then punched the man in the face with a closed fist.

As she exited the residence, Neyelle kicked in a door, splitting it in half lengthwise.

She has been in jail since the last two assaults. Although Neyelle has a criminal record, the assault on the police officer and the two assaults on Dec. 13 are her first violent offences.

Defence lawyer Serge Petitpas said Neyelle does not remember much about the crimes and that his client realizes she suffers from an alcohol addiction. Petitpas asked deputy judge Brian Bruser to order six to nine months of house arrest while Miller requested for a total of six to seven months in jail.

Bruser asked for a pre-sentence report before sentencing continues on Jan. 18. That report will provide the judge with more background on the offender.

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