Easier ways to get a snowmobile

An Iqaluit man charged with stealing a snowmobile in Apex and resisting arrest received a one-year suspended sentence and was ordered to make several apologies.

Adamie Nowdlak, 19, took off with a snowmobile belonging to a family member on Jan. 31. He took the machine to a nearby shed. When the RCMP arrived and instructed Nowdlak to come out of the shed, five of his friends followed and circled Const. Sue Sabourin in what crown lawyer John Solski defined as an intimidation tactic.

“We have a situation that had the potential to become serious but luckily didn’t,” Solski said.

Defence lawyer Andy Mahar argued his client resisted arrest but did not tell his friends to swarm the officer.

The mob quickly diffused after Const. Kevin Sudlovenick showered Nowdlak — who resisted being handcuffed — in pepper spray.

During the ride to the cells, Nowdlak told Const. Sudlovenick he wanted to “beat him up.”

Judge Beverly Browne ordered Nowdlak to apologize to the owner of the snowmobile and the two police officers within 10 days of the sentencing.

“Go back to school, get a job so you can get your own snowmobile,” she said.