Nine Toronto police officers, including the controversial head of the police union, Craig Bromell, have settled a lawsuit with a homeless man who claimed the officers beat him up.

Thomas Kerr alleged in a civil lawsuit that in 1996 the officers beat him in revenge for breaking an officer's arm.

An Internal Affairs investigation concluded that there were reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against the officers, but the Crown decided not to proceed.

Thomas Kerr
Thomas Kerr

Kerr was seeking damages of $750,000.

The terms of Friday's settlement weren't made public.

Settlement talks began this week, just before Bromell was scheduled to testify.

The court was also about to hear from witnesses who say they saw Kerr's injuries.

The deal means none of that testimony will be heard.

Earlier in the case, Kerr's lawyer, Barry Swadron, said he wouldn't settle unless the police made certain admissions.