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Five years in prison for biting attack Yellowknife man sentenced Friday for viciously assaulting woman
Daniel Campbell
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, August 21, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A 36-year-old Yellowknife man was handed a five-year prison sentence Friday for a gruesome assault that left a woman's face disfigured.
Mark Inuktalik will spend a further three years and two months in prison after NWT Supreme Court Justice Shannon Smallwood credited him with 22 months of time served in jail awaiting trial. Inuktalik pled guilty to the crime June 3.
On March 18, 2012, Inuktalik drunkenly demanded a woman to get in his vehicle outside of an apartment building in Yellowknife. He then sped off towards the Ingraham Trail. He hurled insults at her and eventually stopped near the Yellowknife River. He then proceeded to beat her face.
When the victim attempted to protect herself from the blows, Inuktalik began biting her - first on her arms, then her nose and upper lip.
At the end of the assault, the victim's nose and lips were hanging off her face by her skin.
The woman needed 22 stitches to her nose and six to her upper lip. She's had to have plastic surgery to repair her face.
Smallwood said Inuktalik needed to be removed from society and posed a danger to any future partners he might have. She hopes he takes advantage of programming in prison to rehabilitate himself.
Inuktalik attempted to speak before his sentencing, but was unable to come up with words to explain his actions.
"There was a ... I can't seem to say anything right now ... I'm just nervous," he said softly as he stood before Smallwood in Supreme Court.
Smallwood expressed sympathy for the victim, noting the attack on her face will be a constant, physical reminder to her.
"No plastic surgery, however perfect, will remove that memory."
Discussions of how much credit Inuktalik would get for the time he'd already served occurred earlier in the week. Inuktalik had been in prison for 17 months before his sentencing.
Smallwood gave him credit for 22 months served, arguing she was satisfied Inuktalik should received an enhanced credit based on his behaviour in jail.
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