A Calgary police officer who assaulted an intoxicated, handcuffed Indigenous man by grabbing him by the hair and throwing him to the ground apologized to his victim in court on Monday both publicly and privately before he was handed a one-year, at-home sentence.

Const. David Wilhelm pleaded guilty to assault in December. The judge described the incident as "completely out of character" for the 12-year Calgary Police Service (CPS) officer and his lawyer called the assault "a terrible mistake."

On Monday, Wilhelm was handed a one-year conditional sentence, meaning he will serve his sentence at home with the first half spent under house arrest and the second six months under a curfew. He must also complete 75 hours of community service.