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Out of Court Settlement for Policeman's Case

A CASE in which a policeman was suing Dumfries and Galloway's Chief Constable for £25,000 for injuries he received when breaking into a house to has been settled out of court.

The case, by Colin Shankly, of Edinburgh Road, Stranraer, who was on duty at the time in February, 2002, had been down for a hearing at Dumfries Sheriff Court next week.

Mr Shankly claimed that because of his injuries to his arm he had to receive hospital treatment for a damaged tendon and attend the Police Rehabilitation Unit before returning to light duties four months later.

He had claimed that because of concerns for a woman in Stranraer who had not been seen by neighbours for some time he was instructed to break into the house to ascertain her condition.

He decided the best way was to smash the glass panel on the door, but it took him four whacks with his baton before the glass shattered. And as he put his hand in to turn the latch, a shard of glass stabbed into his right wrist.