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Jail time for man who kicked officer in head

Brendan-Burke

A man who pleaded guilty to a string of offences, including kicking a police officer in the head during a violent encounter with Mounties, received an 11-month jail sentence in a Yellowknife court last week.
Kelly Canadian, 26, was sentenced last Friday for a series of offences, including assaults and probation violations, all committed within the span of a year.
While being held at North Slave Correctional Centre in April of last year, Canadian threw a computer monitor and spat at a guard, earning him an assault conviction.
In January 2017, Canadian was confronted by an employee at the Day’s Inn after he was found using the building's facilities without permission.

Canadian grabbed the employee’s phone and ran off with it. The phone was later recovered undamaged. He pleaded guilty and was convicted of breaching his release conditions as a result.
In January, after receiving a complaint from a homeowner who wanted the defendant out of their house, Mounties attempted to arrest an intoxicated Canadian outside of the residence for his own safety. A struggle ensued, and Canadian kicked an officer in the head.
Canadian has multiple prior convictions for assaults against peace officers, a trend that’s stemmed from anger issues and childhood trauma, said Peter Harte, his lawyer.
The Crown noted the “forceful and violent” nature of the offences against “people just doing their jobs.”
Along with the 11-month sentence handed down by Judge Garth Malakoe, Canadian will be on probation for one year following his release. He must submit a DNA sample and cannot possess firearms for three years.
With a significant amount of time served in remand custody, Canadian will serve another 2.5 months behind bars.

Trashing of boyfriend’s property proves costly

A woman who caused thousands of dollars in damage during an alcohol-fueled trashing of her then-boyfriend’s property won’t be left with a criminal record.

The 36-year-old woman appeared in territorial court Wednesday, where she told Judge Robert Gorin she was sorry for the “mistake” she made over a year ago.

Yellowknifer isn’t naming the woman because this is her first offence brought before the courts.

In July 2017, the woman went to her former boyfriend’s home in Yellowknife. Her boyfriend and two other men were inside at the time.

She knocked over the victim’s dirt bike, causing over $1,500 in damages. The woman went on to smash the window of Chevy Impala parked at the residence.

She then entered a camper, where she broke three more windows.

The woman was located by police not far from the scene.

She pleaded guilty to two counts of mischief.

The defendant’s lawyer told the court the “out of character” incident was triggered by infidelity on the part of her then-boyfriend.

Despite the “serious” nature of the mischief offence, which racked up over $3,000 in damages, Judge Gorin said he couldn’t ignore the woman’s “complete lack of a criminal record.”

As a result, handed her a conditional discharge,meaning she won’t be saddled with a criminal record. But she must pay $1,500 to her ex-boyfriend and another $800 to a second man whose property was damaged.

The woman is barred from contacting the two victims for a year.

Lock it or lose it, warn RCMP

NWT RCMP are reminding residents to lock their vehicles to prevent theft.

The RCMP are dedicated to ensuring the safety of our communities and police ask vehicle owners to follow these steps to ensure they do not become victims of this preventable crime,” stated a news release.

RCMP recommend the following tips

  • Lock your vehicle when it is left unattended and activate the vehicle’s alarm.

  • Remove valuables from your vehicle or hide them.

  • If you don’t have a garage, park your vehicle in a well-lit area.

  • Report suspicious activity to police.

“If a vehicle is broken into, or entered and items taken, it can not only be frustrating and inconvenient for the vehicle owners, but has the potential to affect insurance rates,”stated the news release.

“It can also create a potentially dangerous situation to the public if the vehicle is stolen.”

Police say they urge anyone who may have had their vehicle broken into to contact RCMP.

Residents who witness any suspicious activity or a theft from a vehicle are encouraged to call the Yellowknife RCMP detachment.

“Reporting suspicious activity to the RCMP is key to stopping these types of activities.”