A Nunavut judge knocked nearly two years off the sentence for an Inuit man convicted of trying to choke a woman to death because she stood up for his abused sister-in-law, citing his Indigenous status, mental illness and the fact that a shorter sentence would not require him to leave Canada’s northernmost territory to serve the remainder of his time behind bars.

Laimiki Toonoo was sentenced in the Nunavut Court of Justice to eight years and two months in prison for the attempted murder of Ovilu Saila.

“Given that this case involved a conviction after trial, the Crown submission of 10-12 years was reasonable and appropriate. Indeed, I would have imposed a sentence of 10 years if it was not for the mitigating factors of Laimiki’s major mental illness, his significant Gladue factors, and th

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