A civil trial triggered by a former Western student claiming he was roughed up by campus police and whose arrest became a YouTube sensation came to an abrupt end Tuesday with a surprise settlement.

Irnes Zeljkovic, 27, was suing both Western University and campus police for $950,000.

Details of the settlement or acceptance of liability weren’t ­disclosed.

But the sudden appearance of a surveillance video Zeljkovic’s lawyer had requested could have been a factor in the quick resolution.

The trial began last week in London. Zeljkovic, who is studying his master’s degree in social work, was able to speak for the first time about his mental health crisis that led to his arrest on Oct. 14, 2009.

The arrest where he was punched and restrained in the main lobby of Western’s social sciences building was caught on a cellphone video and posted online.

The YouTube video garnered more than 300,000 views and began a discussion and recommendations to police about treatment of mentally ill students.

Zeljkovic’s lawyer, Phillip Millar, told Superior Court Justice Alissa Mitchell Tuesday morning that the video had just been disclosed and would require some review.

Outside court, Millar said the video, taken from closed-circuit TV on campus “shed a little more light on what happened before the YouTube video came out” before and at the time of the arrest.

Hours later, the two sides had come to a settlement.

Zeljkovic, who is pursuing studies and a career in social work and clinical counselling, said the end of the case was “definitely a relief.

“It’s a big relief for my family and friends who have supported me throughout. This brings a lot of closure in our lives,” he said.

Western University’s Keith Marnoch said there is a confidentiality requirement as part of the settlement “so we cannot comment further.

“The case has been settled to the satisfaction of all parties.”

Zeljkovic was in the middle of an acute psychotic episode when he was arrested. He thought he was a professor and was unaware of his surroundings.

He was hospitalized after the arrest for six weeks and stabilized his condition with medication.

Charges of mischief, resisting arrest, escaping custody and assaulting a police officer disappeared after he successfully completed a program through the adult therapeutic court.

He became a volunteer with the court’s program and has mentored other people.

But the sting of the arrest never left him until Tuesday when the civil case was settled.

“I always had this in the back of my mind, there was never sort of closure,” he said. “Now that we’ve finally reached some closure it has brought a lot of relief, a lot of weight off my shoulders and my parents are able to move on with their lives, too.”

Millar said the YouTube video and Zeljkovic’s mental health issues have “actually changed how universities deal with mental health issues in students.

“There are now many more support programs and every police officer will be much more aware of the fact that if somebody’s showing signs of not knowing where they are that many be that person needs a help, a hand, not a harder support.”

Zeljkovic’s parents were at his side throughout the trial and said they were happy.

“I'm so proud of my son,” said his mother, Indira.

jane.sims@sunmedia.ca

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