Simon Schembri, the police constable who lost an arm and was left fighting for his life after being severely injured in a Luqa hit-and-run last May, is to be promoted to police sergeant.

The 48-year-old father will officially become a sergeant in a ceremony on January 21, the Home Affairs Ministry announced earlier today.

“With immense pleasure, our Foundation is announcing that on the 21st January 2019, Hon. Minister of Home Affairs and National Security Dr. Michael Farrugia and the Commissioner of Police Mr. Lawrence Cutajar will honor our founder Simon Schembri by promoting him to the rank of Police Sergeant. Simon, who distinguished himself impeccably throughout his policing years, is a living example of a person having a glorious career without climbing up to the highest ranks of a Department,” the Simon Schembri Blue Light Foundation, which was set up in the wake of the hit-and-run, said in a post on social media today.

His daughter and other colleagues congratulated the officer on his new promotion

Apart from becoming a sergeant, Schembri was also named the Policeman of the Year 2018

Simon Schembri was left with critical injuries after being dragged 400m under a car in 2018

Malta was left in shock last May when a traffic stop gone wrong nearly left Schembri dead and sent the 17-year-old driver to face court.

Schembri had tried to stop the teenaged Liam Debono, who was breaching a number of laws while driving his Mercedes. After attempting to stop him, Debono allegedly ran over him, dragging him before finally coming to a stop in the outskirts of Luqa.

Schembri’s ribcage was said to be showing by the time he was found, alive but in a critical condition.

However, he has since made a full recovery, and has received a bionic hand and an artificial arm from the new centre of orthotics and prosthetics at St Luke’s Hospital, free of charge, courtesy of the Maltese government.

He’s also set up the Simon Schembri Blue Light Foundation, specifically aimed at supporting emergency workers who – like Schembri himself – find themselves in need of help.

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Johnathan Cilia

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]