The West Vancouver police officer who assaulted a newspaper delivery man in January was sentenced to 21 days house arrest yesterday.
Griffin Gillan, 24, was off-duty and out drinking with two other off-duty officers the night he assaulted Firoz Khan outside the Hyatt Hotel at around 2 a.m.
Khan’s injuries have left him unable to work and his family has suffered financially because of it.
“He was living the Canadian dream and this dream was shattered for him and his family,” said Khan’s lawyer, Mobina Jaffer.
Gillan has apologized to Khan and has had no alcohol since the incident.
Crown prosecutor Ralph Keefer had asked for a four- to six-month jail sentence.
The assault started when Gillan approached Khan asking for directions.
Khan asked Gillan to “give (him) a second,” which angered Gillan.
At that point, Gillan kneed or kicked Khan in the stomach and knocked him down, continuing the assault as he lay on the ground.
Gillan then called for backup from the two off-duty officers he was drinking with, Jeffrey Klassen and Blair Tanino.
The two off-duty officers arrived and along with Gillan, allegedly attempted to arrest Khan until an on-duty officer arrived and arrested the trio instead after listening to witness accounts.
