Bacon and bears were weaponized on a Fort Simpson campground over the summer.

The offender appeared in a Yellowknife courtroom Wednesday for sentencing on charges of assault and uttering threats. 

A husband and his wife were camping at Fort Simpson Territorial Park on Aug. 23 when the husband approached a man at a neighbouring campsite around 9 p.m. to ask him to turn down his loud music. 

Crown prosecutor Jeffrey Major-Hansford told the court that the man became SA国际影视传媒渋rateSA国际影视传媒� at the suggestion.

Major-Hansford told the court that the offender begun swearing and yelling that he would get the complainant kicked out of the campground. He then threatened to put bacon on his neighbourSA国际影视传媒檚 tent to attract bears that he said would SA国际影视传媒渕aulSA国际影视传媒� the camper and his family. 

The offender pushed the neighbour, who responded by giving him the finger and walking back to his own campsite. 

At about 6 a.m. the next morning, the offender followed through with his threats and threw bacon towards his neighbourSA国际影视传媒檚 tent. He yelled at the man to SA国际影视传媒渃ome and fight (him).SA国际影视传媒�

He threatened to beat the man while his wife watched and said heSA国际影视传媒檇 break the manSA国际影视传媒檚 glasses and nose and SA国际影视传媒渟end (him) to Yellowknife in a medevac.SA国际影视传媒� 

The husband and wife submitted a victim impact statement to the court. While the document was not read aloud, Major-Hansford noted the incident SA国际影视传媒渙bviously had a significant impact on the victims,SA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒渃reated a real sense of fear.SA国际影视传媒�

Territorial court judge Donovan Molloy accepted the Crown and defence lawyersSA国际影视传媒� joint recommendation to release the man on probation without jail, though Molloy said it was with SA国际影视传媒渧ery significant reservations.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淵ou lost your mind and threatened those people in a way that is vulgar and reprehensible,SA国际影视传媒� Molloy said to the offender. "They were simply asking you to be quiet and considerate.SA国际影视传媒�

Molloy called the sentence SA国际影视传媒渧ery lenientSA国际影视传媒� and said if not for the joint submission he SA国际影视传媒渨ouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 hesitateSA国际影视传媒� to sentence the man to up to 30 days in jail. 

The court heard that the man is actively involved in his community, but has historically had issues with alcohol.

Defence lawyer Paul Falvo advised that the man has been in counselling for two weeks and is scheduled to start a 42-day program at PoundmakerSA国际影视传媒檚 Lodge in Edmonton. 

SA国际影视传媒淭he event forced him to have a reckoning with himself,SA国际影视传媒� Falvo said.

Molloy sentenced him to 12 months of probation where he will take counselling as directed by a probation officer SA国际影视传媒� that includes programming for substance abuse and anger management, Molloy added.

The offender was directed to abstain from alcohol while on probation and complete 120 hours of community service at a rate of 10 hours a month.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou had better treat this as a wake up call,SA国际影视传媒� Molloy warned. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 no excuse for acting in that kind of way. If someone canSA国际影视传媒檛 go camping in the Northwest Territories and have a weekend of peace and enjoyment, itSA国际影视传媒檚 not a jurisdiction I want to live in.SA国际影视传媒�

The offender told the court that heSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渁shamedSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒渆mbarrassed about the whole thing.SA国际影视传媒�

He prepared a written letter of apology to the victims to express SA国际影视传媒渉ow bad he feels.SA国际影视传媒�

Molloy said he would allow the letter to be sent through a probation officer in spite of the no-contact order he directed between the offender and the victims. 

The victims SA国际影视传媒渁re still, understandably, quite shaken by what happened,SA国际影视传媒� Molloy said. SA国际影视传媒淚f you canSA国际影视传媒檛 stop drinking then you need to stay away from people entirely.SA国际影视传媒� 

SA国际影视传媒淚t is only by the grace of god that youSA国际影视传媒檙e going through that door, (pointing to the courtroom door for public use) rather than that door (pointing towards the door for those held in custody).SA国际影视传媒�