When he was posted to a west-end high school as a resource officer a few years ago, Toronto Police Const. Bryan Thomas won over skeptical students with his cool-headed approach to “conflict de-escalation.”

“They learned to trust him,” a teacher testified on his behalf at his sentencing hearing last month.

But on Tuesday, a judge sentenced Thomas, 44, to 90 days in jail, to be served intermittently on weekends, for assaulting Sarkoon Oraha, 45.

Thomas, while off-duty, pulled Oraha over on the side of Highway 400 near Black Creek Dr. at 5 p.m. on Oct. 2, 2010, to charge him with dangerous driving. In the ensuing altercation, Oraha suffered a broken jaw.

Justice William Horkins said the case demanded a “clear and strong” message of denunciation that “serious consequences” will result when an offender abuses his position of special trust.

“Officer Thomas, I wish you good luck,” Horkins said before court officers led Thomas from the courtroom. However, defence lawyer Jimmy Lee said his client would be released immediately pending an appeal of his conviction and sentence.

Thomas has been suspended without pay, Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash said Tuesday.

Horkins said a non-custodial sentence would “send an entirely wrong message to the public.” Instead, the judge said he agreed with Crown Attorney Peter Scrutton that a 90-day jail term was reasonable and appropriate, given the gravity of the offence.

In his decision, Horkins acknowledged that sending any police officer to jail is, in effect, sentencing him to “hard time,” since time in custody will be served in isolation or protective custody for safety reasons.

The judge said the case was not so much about road rage as it was about the excessive use of force by an off-duty officer responding to a fellow motorist who had “created a very real threat to him and more significantly his children.”

Thomas was “entirely justified” in pulling Oraha over, but as soon as he did his status changed to on-duty and his use of force has to be viewed in that context, the judge said.

During the trial, court heard Thomas was driving with his young daughters and girlfriend in the slow lane southbound on Highway 400 when Oraha started tailgating.

Oraha testified he passed Thomas’s car on the right-hand shoulder, squeezing between it and a concrete barrier, then returned to the flow of traffic in a manner that caused Thomas to take evasive action to avoid being hit.

The altercation happened after Thomas flashed his badge and ordered Oraha to pull over.

In court, numerous eyewitnesses described Thomas striking Oraha multiple times, eventually breaking his jaw, while he offered no resistance.

Horkins noted that Thomas has no violent record, nor is there a suggestion of any underlying issue that might indicate future acts of aggression.

“This was clearly a spontaneous act triggered by a particular and isolated provocation,” the judge said.

Thomas has been a paramedic and police officer and made a longstanding contribution to the community, he said.

Horkins said he took into account the impact the proceedings have had on Thomas’s life now and on his future career prospects. Once the criminal case ends, he will be subject to police disciplinary proceedings where the maximum penalty is termination.

Since the incident, Thomas has been assigned to administrative duties.

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The Crown, meanwhile, is not proceeding with charges against Oraha of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest, but will continue to prosecute him for dangerous driving. His lawyer, Cosimo Vecchiarelli, said Tuesday his client will plead not guilty.

Oraha is suing Toronto police.

Assault causing bodily harm carries a maximum 18-month jail sentence if prosecuted summarily, as this was.