Toronto police sergeant apologizes to man assaulted
while in police custody
A Toronto sergeant has apologized
for his role in a brutal attack on a prisoner inside a downtown Toronto police
station, admitting “I didn’t do my job” as the officer in charge of the booking
hall
If the Toronto police apologize for aggravated assault! Let
the inmates who are locked in the jails across this province to apologize for
simple assault?
Keith Ryan was beaten up in a
booking cell at Toronto police’s 14 Division following his alleged assault on a
parking officer. The charges against Ryan were later dismissed. (Marc
Ellison / Toronto Star file photo)
By Wendy GillisNews reporter
Fri., Dec. 2, 2016
A Toronto sergeant has apologized
for his role in a brutal attack on a prisoner inside a downtown Toronto police
station, admitting “I didn’t do my job” as the officer in charge of the booking
hall.
Sgt. Richard Rowsome pleaded guilty
to one count of neglect of duty at the Toronto police tribunal
Wednesday in connection to a bizarre case involving an assault by a former
Toronto parking officer inside a police station.
In April, 2011 Keith Ryan was being
held in a booking cell at Toronto police’s 14 Division on Dovercourt Rd.
following his alleged assault on parking officer Devon Henry at Ossington Ave.
and Queen St. W.
Ryan was taken into custody, but 90
minutes later Henry went into the police station, somehow made his way to the
room where Ryan was being held, and punched Ryan in the face and ribs.
Henry was later fired and found guilty of the assault. An assault charge
against Ryan was dismissed.
Ryan claimed Henry was not the only
officer who attacked him inside the booking hall that night. He alleged that
Toronto police officers Const. Paul Ramos and Const. Manpreet Kharbar held his
arms back while Henry punched him in the face, then continued to beat him up
after Henry left.
Following an investigation by the
Special Investigations Unit, Ontario’s police watchdog, Ramos and Manpreet were
charged with assault. They were later cleared in 2014 by a judge who
nonetheless said a “thick cloud of suspicion” hung over the case.
During that trial, allegations arose
that Rowsome, who was in charge of the booking hall, turned his back on the
situation by not immediately reporting the incident.
Testifying as a witness, Rowsome
admitted in court that he heard sounds of a fight coming from the room where
Ryan was being held, but let Henry leave unquestioned.
Ryan was treated in hospital for
injuries to his face, including a left bleeding eye, a two-inch cut on his face
and a cracked left cheekbone. He suffered permanent bone damage to his
cheekbone and jaw.
Is
well known by the public; that the Toronto police are hiding behind the motto “To
Serve & Protect” to commit heinous crimes especially against vulnerable
children, women, youths, and seniors. Some thugs of this repressive police
force are escaping to face prosecution even when overwhelming evidence is
pointing that they committed crimes as kidnapping and torture of children,
aggravated assault, extra judicial executions, sex crimes…
In April 2011, Keith Ryan was
assaulted wjo;e being held in a booking cell at Toronto police’s 14 Division on
Dovercourt Rd.
At the tribunal, Rowsome admitted he
failed to abide by the Toronto police service policy to keep Ryan safe.
“I know that I didn’t do my job, I
know that booking hall is my responsibility,” Rowsome told investigators with
the Office of the Independent Police Review Director, according to the agreed
statement of facts read out at the tribunal Wednesday.
“I didn’t see that parking officer
come in that room and I should have been in place that that wouldn’t be
allowed.”
Rowsome’s lawyer, Joseph Markson,
apologized to Ryan on the sergeant’s behalf, saying his client was “personally
and professionally remorseful.”
“I appreciate the apology,” Ryan
told the tribunal, adding “it’s been a stressful scenario for everyone.”
Markson called the incident an
“aberration” in an otherwise exemplary career. Rowsome has no previous
misconduct convictions.
Markson, Toronto police prosecutor
Philip Wright, and Ryan are all asking for a penalty of seven days’ docked pay.
Ryan has an ongoing $2.3-million civil suit against the
Toronto police.
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