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.

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.

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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.