A Whitehorse man convicted of threatening people from jail has been sentenced to spend another 18 months behind bars.

Last week, Phillipe Lamarche was found guilty after trial of uttering threats and obstruction of justice for calling Garth Brown from his Whitehorse Correctional Centre cell block and warning Brown not to testify at the trial of Mark Pahtayken.

During trial, territorial court Judge Karen Ruddy heard that Pahtayken and Lamarche were housed in the same area of the jail.

Brown had received a number of other threats from friends of Pahtayken, but only recognized Lamarche's voice, court heard.

Brown told the court Lamarche called him and said he would be killed if he took the stand against Pahtayken, and if Lamarche couldn't get to him, someone else would.

In a victim impact statement given to the court, Brown said since receiving the threat, he can't walk down the street nor close his eyes to sleep for fear of being killed.

Lamarche also threatened two guards in the jail just days before he made the call to Brown.

During a scuffle with a number of the corrections officers, Lamarche admits to saying, "I'll get out in a couple of months. I'll get you guys in the streets. You don't know who you're dealing with.”

He also gestured as if he was going to throw a kettle of boiling water at the officers.

At his client's sentencing hearing Thursday, Lamarche's lawyer said the comment was made in the heat of battle.

After causing a ruckus in the cell block common room, Lamarche had refused to return to his cell.

The guards, clad in armour and holding Plexiglas shields, had struck him, then pinned him down. It was while he was under two guards that he made the threat, his lawyer said.

Crown prosecutor K.C. Komosky was less forgiving of Lamarche's outburst.

He pointed to the man's criminal record, which includes 83 prior convictions, not counting probation breaches.

Many of the convictions, which include assault, theft and uttering threats, come from his time in the Edmonton penitentiary, Komosky pointed out.

"It would appear Mr. Lamarche doesn't do well in custody. He does not abide by the rules of civil society, even when he is in jail,” he said.

Komosky recommended Lamarche be given 18 months for the obstruction of justice charge, plus another three for uttering threats.

This is on the higher end of the spectrum for verbally, but not physically threatening a witness, which Komosky said was appropriate because of Lamarche's long criminal history.

When it came time for Lamarche's lawyer to address the court, he began by saying that before speaking with his client, he had little hope for his rehabilitation.

But Keith Parkkari said that after hearing Lamarche's story, he thinks his client has a chance to make a new life for himself.

He recounted some of the formative events in Lamarche's life: two years spent in residential school in B.C., the death of his mother by his father's hands when the boy was seven.

As well, seven years were spent in foster care or living with extended family, and Lamarche was subjected to sexual and physical abuse.

His client does not use drugs, Parkkari said, but is heavily addicted to alcohol, and many of his crimes have been committed while under the influence.

As Komosky pointed out, however, there is no evidence Lamarche was using drugs or alcohol when he threatened the guards or Brown.

Parkkari called his client's extensive record "probably one of the most difficult issues for the defence to address.”

He pointed to Lamarche's father's history as a gang-related drug dealer, as well as his older brother's involvement in gang activity.

"He followed the family enterprise,” Parkkari said. "He never got a break from the get-go.”

Although Lamarche had nothing more to add before being sentenced, his partner came forward to address the court.

She said jail is extremely difficult for her partner, and that he sometimes call her six times a day to talk himself down from the frustrations he encounters there.

She told the judge she is currently pursuing an education at Yukon College and hopes Lamarche will be free by the summer so he can help support her and her two children, as well as his 12-year-old daughter, who lives in B.C.

Parkkari recommended his client be sentenced to eight to 12 months in jail, with a residential alcohol treatment program to follow.

The judge, however, agreed with Crown counsel's submission.

She sentenced Lamarche to 18 months' jail time for obstruction of justice, plus two months for uttering the threats.

His crime "strikes at the very roots of justice,” and the sentence must reflect that, she said.