A police officer who suffered a fractured skull and traumatic brain injury after being dragged along a road in Hamilton has said he fears he may never return to frontline policing.
Constable Mark Smith, 35, said “part of me did not survive that day” as the two men responsible were each jailed for 17 years.
Douglas Mills Jnr, 32, and Douglas Mills Snr, 58, were sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow today (Monday 14 September).
Following a trial, they were found guilty on 13 August of a series of charges including attempted murder, assault to severe injury, permanent impairment and danger to life.
PC Smith was on duty on 30 August 2024 when he approached the pair in a stationary vehicle on Low Waters Road.
As he attempted to speak to them, the vehicle drove off at speed, dragging him along the road before leaving him seriously injured on the ground.
He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where he received treatment for extensive injuries, including a fractured skull and a significant traumatic brain injury.
Two years later, he is still waiting for reconstructive surgery to his ankle.
Speaking about the lasting impact, PC Smith said: “I was simply doing my job that day, but what happened to me is not something that I could ever have prepared for, nor is it something that will ever leave me.
“I was more than fortunate to survive, but part of me did not survive that day. Part of me was lost and two years later, I have started to accept that I will never be the same again.”
He said the attack had left him facing uncertainty over a career that had been central to his life.
“My job was a huge part of my identity. I’m unsure of what the future holds for me, and I fear that I will never be able to return to frontline policing,” he said.
“I hope that in some way what happened to me can help prevent something like this happening to another officer or anyone else.”
Assistant Chief Constable Wendy Middleton described the attack as “despicable” and said its impact extended beyond PC Smith and his family to his colleagues and the wider force.
She said: “Assaults on officers and staff are absolutely unacceptable. Everyone who works for Police Scotland has the fundamental right to come home from each shift unharmed.”
Middleton said Police Scotland had invested in operational safety training, body-worn video and equipping officers with Tasers to help reduce the risk of violence.
Detective Inspector Scott Robertson, who led the investigation, described Mills Jnr and Mills Snr as “two very dangerous and callous individuals”.
He said: “Our thoughts remain with Constable Mark Smith at this time, and we will continue to offer all the necessary support.”