Updated | Emergency doctor gives shocking account of how police officer was mowed down and left for dead

​Police officer Simon Schembri was dragged 400m under car, lost an arm, and suffered skin loss due to friction burns, court told • Magistrate calls for police officers to be fitted with top of the range equipment and protective gear 

A magistrate has called for police officers to be fitted out with top of the range equipment and protective gear after hearing how an officer, who was mowed down by a vehicle, escaped with his life thanks to superior equipment which he had purchased himself. 

Earlier today a doctor gave an account of the horrific injuries suffered by police constable Simon Schembri as the compilation of evidence against the 17-year-old charged with attempted murder when he ran Schembri over in Luqa earlier this month.

Police constable Simon Schembri was nearly killed when he was run over by Liam Debono, suffering a collapsed lung and fractures to his pelvis and ribs. Schembri’s right arm had to be amputated below the elbow as a result of the injuries sustained.

Michael Spiteri, an emergency doctor for 20 years took the witness stand, saying that he had called at the scene and found Schembri who had been hit and dragged by a car.

The incident took place near the Mambra roundabout.

When Spiteri arrived, Schembri was face up in the entrance of the industrial estate being attended to by ambulance staff.

“There was a lot of blood loss and a tourniquet was applied,” he said. The police officer was in “very critical shock due to blood loss,” having severe difficulty breathing due to injuries to his chest.

The casualty had suffered extensive fractures to his rib cage, causing a tension pneumothorax, Spiteri said. “This causes death,” said the doctor, describing the injuries as “if not the worst, then one of the three worst” cases he had seen in his 20 year career.

The arm was no longer viable, he said, adding that the man’s right shoulder and upper chest had terrible friction burns causing full-thickness skin loss. “The skin had almost completely gone.”

Parte civile lawyer Arthur Azzopardi asked what this meant.

“You have a big force that was applied for a considerable time. He wasn’t just hit and bounced off, the force was applied for a considerable time.”

Schembri was given anaesthetic at the scene, he said.

A CT scan showed fractures to the man’s clavicle, sternum, ribs, pelvis, hip socket, sacrum. His right arm was completely disrupted. The injuries meant that loss of life was imminent.

“If he hadn’t been treated immediately, he would be dead today.”

Schembri is still in intensive care, added the doctor.

Liam Debono
Liam Debono

The accused showed no visible emotion as witnesses testified to what he had done.

Inspector gives first account of the scene

Inspector Fabian Fleri gave an account of the police side of the story.

Four days before the near fatal accident, the accused had been caught driving without a licence after a traffic accident.

The CID had heard a lot of radio traffic about an accident in Luqa and he had gone to the scene. A girl on a bus stop had called police to say “they have killed a police officer. He asked for his licence and he said it wasn’t on him and knocked him over.”

It emerged that the driver had been stopped as he wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.

Over the radio it emerged that the car was using licence plates from a scrapped vehicle. The officer was asked if he needed backup and said “probably not, but it’s going to be a long one.”

“I’ve seen people crying because they ran over a cat ... This guy was like nothing happened, like he had just had breakfast.” Inspector Pierreguido Saliba

The injured officer told the first officer on the scene to take photos, which he did.

The policeman had hit the bonnet and slid off it, after 15 meters, his protective clothing started making marks on the ground.

“He was dragged for around 400m, before the driver lost control and the victim was spat out from underneath the car it performed a 180 degree turn. The car then ran him over.”

 The incident was caught on CCTV, said the inspector. The car was later seen returning, stopping for a few moments and then reversing all the way up the road.

A nearby RIU unit had seen the accused’s Mercedes and gave chase. A truck blocked the road ahead and the suspect vehicle tried to make a handbrake turn, but ended up hitting a wall. The driver fled on foot. He was apprehended shortly afterwards.

A search of the vehicle  returned a small knife and a crusher used in cannabis preparation, amongst other items. He was breathalyzed and zero alcohol was found in his system. Debono had told police that he had bought the licence plates for €10 from someone who had stolen them and the road licence belonged to his dad’s car.

Inspector Pierreguido Saliba said the man had told him that he was swerving to get the policeman out from under the car.
The accused was nonplussed by what happened.

“I’ve seen people crying because they ran over a cat or hit a wing mirror. This guy was like nothing happened, like he had just had breakfast.”

During questioning the accused remained emotionless, passive and uncooperative, he said.

"Like a scene from a horror movie"

Police sergeant Jonathan Bordieri from the traffic section told the court how he had squatted next to his fallen comrade and spoken to him. “He was conscious. He was in a lot of pain, especially in his shoulder.” A civilian first aider had treated him, he said. “I wanted to keep him awake by speaking to him. I was saying ‘I’m Bordieri, do you recognise me?’ He was lucid.” 

He spoke to a number of witnesses. Later he saw the accused in handcuffs, surrounded by four RIU officers. There was a puddle of oil spreading from underneath the crashed car, he said.

The Mercedes was extensively damaged, with all airbags open and blood stains on the airbags, added the officer.

Another policeman, PC Grech Iles from the traffic section had found the victim’s motorbike and was told by onlookers that he was further down the road.

Grech Iles nearly broke down as he described the scene, voice quavering. “I see a colleague I had been working shoulder to shoulder with, face up,” he said. Schembri was in great pain and wasn’t speaking to him. The constable did his best to keep Schembri awake by speaking to him.

Ten witnesses testified in all today, the last one PC Etienne Farrugia, from the traffic section, described the scene as something out of a horror movie.

“I saw him on the ground. His arm missing up to above the elbow. I saw the bone…It was a macabre scene. I couldn’t go close...it was like a scene from a horror movie. In my eyes at the time I thought he was dead.”

The injured officer had been wearing safety gear which he had purchased himself, better than standard police issue. Magistrate Joe Mifsud was not happy to hear this. “The Police should have a uniform which offers first class safety, not second class” said the magistrate. “Please pass this message on,” he told the witness.

As the session drew to a close, lawyer Franco Debono asked for a probation officer to be appointed to address his client’s issues, even if the boy was in prison. The court upheld the request.

The magistrate ordered that the injured officer is to be provided with whatever he needed: “I have a man fighting for his life in hospital. See that he is being taken care of. I want the police to be safe when carrying out their duties and not to fear anyone.” 

The court told the prosecution to keep him posted with the man’s condition and to let him know if anything was needed.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia are appearing for the accused. Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Andy Debono are appearing parte civile for the injured officer.

The case continues on Friday.