Murder bid victim rebuilding his life

A FATHER who faces a lifetime of pain after 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 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 hitting him in August 2019.

The father of two was thrown in the air in the City Road attack, leading to extensive leg injuries.

Mr Ross said he had to give up work as a gamekeeper after 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.

Despite the trauma, he said he is determined to focus on positives in life.

“I have a lot to live for, particularly my two children,” 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.”

At the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday Alexander Sangster was sentenced to 10 years and six months’ imprisonment and Colin

Sangster was jailed for eight years and four months.

Mr Ross said he still does not know why they targeted him as they had never met prior to the hit-and-run.

Colin Sangster, of Carberry Crescent, Dundee, and Alexander Sangster, a prisoner, denied attempting to murder Mr Ross on August 18, 2019, but a jury unanimously convicted them of the offence earlier this year.

The court heard that evidence 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.

SENTENCED: Alexander and Colin Sangster have been jailed.