A young dad who faces a lifetime of pain and surgery following what a judge described as “an appalling crime” said that he will not let his attackers beat him.
Paul Ross, 35, from Brechin was speaking after two brothers were jailed on Monday for mowing him down with a car in a murder bid.
Colin Sangster, 28, and Alexander Sangster, 26 pursued Mr Ross in his home town before mounting a pavement and striking him in August 2019.
The father-of-two was thrown in the air in the City Road attack, leaving him with extensive leg injuries.
Mr Ross said he had to give up work as a gamekeeper after extensive surgery for fractures as the attempted murder left his left leg “dangling a bit like a bit of spaghetti” and bone was protruding from a kneecap.
He has now returned to light duties and had to move in with his parents.
Fighting back
Despite the trauma, he said he is determined to focus on the positives in his life.
“I have a lot to live for, particularly my two children, Lochlan, 8 and Argyle, 11,” he said.
“It’s thanks to them that I have got the motivation to fight back from this.
“Not only has my life been affected but theirs have too. I can’t even do simple things like pick them up from school.
“My physical injuries will affect me for the rest of my life. Doctors have said I will eventually need a knee replacement.
“I was also left in a very dark place mentally after the attack but I am fighting back.
“I used to be so active and loved playing football, I will never be able to do that again.
“I will have to live the rest of my life with the affects of this attack.”
At the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday, Alexander Sangster was sentenced to 10 years and six months’ imprisonment and his older sibling, Colin Sangster, was jailed for eight years and four months.
The two men were even winking at me in court.
A year and a half after the attack, Mr Ross said he still does not know why they targeted him as they had never met prior to the hit and run.
“It baffles me why they did what they did,” he said.
“I keep myself to myself and was 110% innocent on that night.
“The two men were even winking at me in court. They won’t be winking now that they have been jailed.”
Judge Lord Beckett called the crime “an extremely serious example of attempted murder.”
Mr Ross said although the prison sentences are temporary, he will have to remember the attack forever.
“I have no idea what would be a reasonable sentence, all I know is that they will be out in a few years but I will suffer because of this attack for the rest of my life,” he said.
“However, I’m remaining positive and I will not let them beat me.
“I can now get some closure and try to move forward with my life.
“I have my kids and I have so much to look forward to.”
‘Extremely serious example of attempted murder’
Colin Sangster, of Carberry Crescent, Dundee, and Alexander Sangster, a prisoner, had originally denied attempting to murder Mr Ross on August 18 in 2019 but a jury unanimously convicted them of the offence earlier this year.
Lord Beckett told the brothers: “By deliberately striking the complainer with the car you could easily have killed him.”
“This was an extremely serious example of attempted murder.
“A man who was doing nothing wrong whatsoever when you and others encountered him by chance is now impaired in his work which has had considerable financial impact on him and his family.
“He has lost the ability to continue with his sporting activities and is inhibited in what he can do with his children.
“All of this has had a severe psychological impact.”
Lord Beckett ordered that Alexander Sangster should be kept under supervision for a further three year period and told him his prison sentence would start at the end of a jail term he is currently serving for other offences, which is due to end in September.
The trial
The court trial heard he younger brother was heard saying as he and his elder sibling fled from the scene: “What the f*** have we done?”
The prosecutor said that evidence in the case clearly pointed to the older brother being the driver of the Renault Clio, with his younger brother as a passenger.
Mr Ross had earlier attended a barbecue before he and others caught a taxi back to Brechin.
He said that when he got out an altercation had already started between the two men he was with and a group in the street and he was struck in the face.
He told the court: “I didn’t know what was going on. I had just got out of the taxi.”
Further trouble ensued before he was hit by the car.
Mr Ross said he said he was definitely on the pavement when he was struck by the car, which was travelling at about 30mph.
He sustained ankle, knee and thigh fractures and was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
Colin Sangster’s DNA was found on the steering wheel, handbrake and a car key in the vehicle used in the attack.
Kenneth Cloggie, counsel for Colin Sangster, said he had no record for violence. “There has been a recognition from him that had he been sober the chances are this offence would not have occurred.”
David Moggach, for the younger brother, said that he has no recollection of the offence.
Colin Sangster was banned from driving for nine years and his brother for 10 years and three months.
