A police officer dragged for several metres underneath a speeding car suffered a 66 per cent disability, a court heard on Friday.

PC Simon Schembri, 48, lost his arm in a hit-and-run incident on May 15. He also suffered serious injuries to his limbs and lungs.

The extent of his injuries were related in court as the compilation of evidence against Liam Debono, 17, continued before magistrate Joe Mifsud.

Orthopaedic surgeon Ray Gatt testified that he had examined PC Schembri and established a disability of 66 per cent on the orthopaedic front only.

The father-of-three officer had allegedly tried to stop a motorist driving a Mercedes, who then ran him over and dragged him for several metres, causing serious injuries.

READ: 'My body felt like it was melting away'

Assistant police commissioner Stephen Mallia told the court how he had arrived on scene that day of the incident and found the accused in handcuffs. “I told him do you know you ran over a traffic policeman. He said: ‘Yes.’"

Mr Debono had told him the car was his mother’s and that the plates were garaged.

Police sergeant Oliver Vella, from the traffic division, testified that he was at the Floriana depot when the call came in. He drove to the Luqa industrial estate and found PC Schembri near the exit. “He was face up on the ground…I didn’t know if he was alive or dead. I didn’t recognise him, I only knew it was Simon because they told me so,” PS Vella said as he fought hard to be overcome by emotion.

Mr Debono’s mother, Charlotte Zammit, and his sister Cheryl Anne Debono, also took the witness stand. They both told the court that they were choosing not to testify, a privilege granted by the law to parents and siblings of someone accused of a crime.

The case continues.

Inspectors PierGuido Saliba, Fabian Fleri and Chantelle Casha prosecuted. Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were defence counsel. Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi appeared parte civile for PC Schembri.

WATCH: Cheers and applause as PC Schembri leaves hospital