A two-time world judo champion who attacked a Whitehorse RCMP officer had his sentence suspended by a territorial court judge Monday because of mental health issues.

On May 14, 2004, Daniel Gribben struck Const. Brendon Dolan in the mouth, hitting the officer hard enough to knock him onto the hood of the car and then onto the ground.

Gribben, a fourth-degree black belt, thought Dolan had been going for his Taser, or possibly even his gun, after the officer began backing up with one arm reached behind him.

'There is simply not a shred of evidence to find a reasonable basis for such a claim,' said Judge John Faulkner.

Dolan was responding to a call that a strange barefooted man was jogging along the railway tracks in Whitehorse. He came across Gribben, 42, who matched the description.

When the officer asked Gribben his name, he responded by saying he was Elijah Smith, a respected Yukon aboriginal elder who died in a traffic accident in the early 1990s.

When Dolan took a step back, suspecting something might not be right, Gribben attacked him.

Gribben said he was on his way to his doctor when the officer confronted him.

Crown prosecutor David McWhinnie said Gribben's martial arts training made him more dangerous than most people and asked that the man get a three- to four-month prison term.

'Mr. Gribben is on the edge of a psychological disorder,' said McWhinnie. 'He said he would do it again if faced with a similar situation.'

Gribben's lawyer, Robert Dick, wanted Gribben to serve his sentence at home so that he could still stay involved with Whitehorse Kiichi Sai Judo Club, where he is chief instructor.

'Mr. Gribben is the glue that holds the organization together,' said Dick. 'He is more than just a coach, he is a driving force.'

Dick said attacking a police officer was out of character for Gribben, who has no criminal record.

Faulkner said that although Gribben's offence was quite serious, it likely stemmed from his mental health problems and drug dependency issues as outlined in a psychological assessment submitted to the court.

Gribben, who walks with a cane because of physical ailments, has been taking prescribed pain killers to help him deal with the anguish caused by medical problems related to his leg.

The judo coach said he was walking to the doctor's office that day with no shoes on because being barefoot on gravel takes his mind away from such pain.

The judge noted there is a chance that Gribben could attack again because his perception of danger is somewhat distorted as he suffers from paranoia.

'But I don't think sending him to jail for three or four months is going to get to the bottom of this,' said Faulkner.

He instead suspended sentencing Gribben and put the martial artist under a one-year probation order.

Under it, Gribben will have to seek out help to deal with his mental health and drug dependency issues.