Phil Khan submitted a written victim impact statement on Friday, but did not speak outside the courthouse. (CBC)A West Vancouver police officer pleaded guilty Friday to beating a newspaper delivery driver outside a downtown hotel last January.

Const. Griffin Gillan admitted to police that he had had 20 drinks at two different bars on the night of the attack, a Vancouver court heard Friday.

The assault charge against Gillan stemmed from an incident in January, during which Phil Khan, 47, alleged he was beaten and robbed of $200 by three off-duty police officers outside a hotel in the 600-block of Burrard Street as he made an early morning newspaper delivery.

Khan had alleged the men smelled of alcohol and uttered racial slurs when they began the unprovoked attack on him.

Newspaper delivery driver Phil Khan said the police officers smelled of alcohol and uttered racial slurs when they launched an unprovoked attack on him. (CBC)No recollection of events

At the hearing on Friday, Gillan read out an apology as he faced Khan, saying he has no recollection of what happened that night, including being at the bars or the subsequent assault on Khan.

The police officer said he could not explain why someone would approach a complete stranger and assault him, and said he has not had a single drink since the incident.

He is also issuing an apology to Vancouver police officers that had to deal with him that night, and to his fellow officers at the West Vancouver police department.

The court heard that while Gillan was being arrested, he spat on a Vancouver police squad car.

He later said he didn't remember anything because his drink had been spiked with illegal drugs. But he was given a blood test that found no drugs in his system, the hearing was told.

Khan and his wife both submitted written victim impact statements on Friday, with Khan writing he still suffers from a head injury sustained in the attack, including stiffness, dizziness and behavioural changes.

While Khan declined to speak to reporters outside the courthouse, his lawyer Mobina Jaffer spoke on behalf of the family.

"Thanks for your interest. Mr. Khan very much appreciates it, but at the moment he just wants to give the judge the time to make a decision," she said.

The Crown said it would be seeking a jail term of four to six months with probation and conditions for Gillan, and also recommended the police officer take alcohol and anger management courses, and write a letter of apology to Khan.

The judge said she would hand down Gillan's sentence at a later date.

New Westminster officer still faces charge

Gillan was originally charged with one count of robbery and pleaded not guilty in March, but the Crown dropped that count owing to conflicting witness statements and replaced it with the assault charge. He was suspended with pay in February following the incident and it is not yet clear if or when he will return to work.

A second officer, Const. Jeff Klassen of New Westminster police, has been charged with one count of assault in connection to the same incident. He pleaded not guilty in March.

The third officer who was present, a member of the Delta police force, was not charged, as investigators concluded he tried to stop the attack. That officer was expected to testify against his colleagues at trial.