Yellowknife youth gets eight months in Fort Gary attack

A Yellowknife youth involved in a stabbing in November was sentenced today to eight months.

The youth pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm in what the judge called a "swarm attack" that left a 44-year-old man in hospital for 10 days.

The young man can't be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act because he was under 18 at the time of the attack.

Four others are charged in connection with the incident.

On Nov. 29, the incident began when a man in a Fort Gary apartment refused to give someone a cigarette. He pushed the person out of his bedroom.

Then, according to the prosecutor, the youth and four others broke the door down and "dog piled" on the victim.

He was stabbed 21 times with a two-inch blade. He was also hit with a frying pan and a sock with a can in it.

In his ruling, Deputy Judge Brian Bruser said evidence showed the youth punched the victim, but did not use the knife or the other weapons.

Bruser noted the youth pleaded guilty, was remorseful and had apologized.

The youth was credited the four months he spent in jail before sentencing, so he has four months remaining to serve.

Part of his time will be spent in the North Slave Young Offender Facility in Yellowknife and the rest will be spent in the community, under the supervision of his youth worker.