BCC inmate gets extra time for prison assault

Jimmy Partridge, 36, was found guilty of assaulting Jeremy Kuuk, 30, after an unusual trial in Iqaluit on Nov. 20. He was sentenced to five days in jail.

Partridge insisted on representing himself. He cross-examined the complainant and testified in his own defence.

Kuuk, who was an inmate at Baffin Correctional Centre in Janurary when the assault occurred, said he was playing solitaire when fellow inmate Partridge kicked him in the back.

Partridge never denied kicking Kuuk. The unprovoked attack was to let Kuuk know Partridge would not be intimidated, Partridge told the court.

Kuuk was in remand custody facing a second-degree murder charge in the beating death of Samuel Nagyougalik, 40, when the incident occurred. Kuuk has since pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 12 years in jail with no chance of parole for six years.

Partridge is currently serving an eight-month sentence for violating a probation order forbidding him to have contact with children under the age of 14. The five-day sentence for assault is to be served consecutively with his eight-month sentence.