Two brothers were jailed yesterday for mowing down a man with a car in a murder bid which a judge condemned as “an appalling crime”.
Alexander Sangster, 26 was sentenced to 10 years and six months’ imprisonment for the assault and his older sibling, Colin Sangster, 28, was jailed for eight years and four months.
The pair pursued Paul Ross in their sister’s vehicle before mounting a pavement and striking Mr Ross in the targeted attack.
He was hit on the body and thrown into the air by before landing and sustaining serious injuries in Brechin, in Angus.
Lord Beckett told the brothers at the High Court in Edinburgh: “By deliberately striking the complainer with the car you could easily have killed him.
“This was an extremely serious example of attempted murder.”
Lord Beckett said the victim was left permanently scarred and impaired following the attack.
He added: “In wicked hands such as yours, your sister’s car became a brutal weapon.”
“For such an appalling crime, there is no suitable alternative to a substantial sentence of imprisonment in order to punish you.”
He ordered that Alexander Sangster should be kept under supervision for a further three year period and told him his sentence would start at the end of a jail term he is currently serving for other offences.
He has an extensive criminal record, including violence and dishonesty offences, and the judge told him: “Whilst you Alexander Sangster did not drive, you were the driving force behind the commission of this crime which you committed whilst on bail.”
Mr Ross earlier told the brothers’ trial that in the wake of the attack his left leg was “dangling a bit like a bit of spaghetti”.
He underwent extensive surgery for his injuries. The younger brother was heard saying as he and his elder sibling fled from the scene: “What the f--- have we done.”
The brothers – who were under the influence of alcohol – originally denied attempting to murder greenkeeper Mr Ross on August, 18, 2019. But a jury unanimously convicted them earlier this year.
Kenneth Cloggie, counsel for Colin Sangster, said “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.
