“Iqaluit cowboy” faces dangerous offender label

A Nunavut court judge will hear closing arguments next year about whether to label the man known as the “Iqaluit cowboy” as a dangerous offender.

Mosesee Nowdluk faces up to seven years in prison after being charged with assault, break-and-enter, and other offenses, including assault with a weapon.

Nowdluk, 39, is accused of hitting a person in the head with a hammer while they were walking in Iqaluit earlier this year.

Crown attorney Christine Gagnon said Nowdluk should be deemed a dangerous offender because he’s been convicted of 14 violent offences, dating back to 1982.

Dangerous offenders are people who have shown a pattern of committing seriously violent offences, and are at risk of harming someone again.

Justice Earl Johnson finished hearing evidence in the case, including testimony from two psychologists, on Nov. 19.

Nowdluk is to appear in court on Feb. 17, when lawyers will give their final arguments in the case.

If he’s labelled a dangerous offender, Nowdluk will serve seven years in prison before parole can be considered.

Johnson could rule instead that Nowdluk is a long-term offender, which means he would go to prison for two years, then be on parole for 10 years.

If Johnson rejects both labels but finds Nowdluk guilty of the charges, he would give him a regular sentence.