'Deeply dangerous' rapist Andrew Forbes jailed for life following two decades of 'violent' sex attacks

A “deeply dangerous” rapist who has spent a “lifetime” subjecting women to horrifyingly violent sex attacks has been handed a life sentence for his latest crimes.

Andrew Forbes, 55, preyed on three women, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at locations in Aberdeen between February 1982 and January 2003.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Forbes had previously served two jail terms for rape before police became aware that he had committed yet more assaults.

In Forbes’ latest set of crimes, the court heard how he targeted his first victim in February 1982 when he was aged just 15.

A jury heard how Forbes punched his victim, compressed her throat and raped her on repeated occasions in January 1989.

He also placed a knife at the body of his second victim and kicked her head and body before raping her on repeated occasions.

His third victim was seized by her hair and attacked before being sexually assaulted.

Police became aware of Forbes’ latest offending as he served his second prison sentence for rape offences. They brought together enough evidence to bring him to court to face justice.

On Friday, Forbes, of Aberdeen, refused to come to court to learn of his fate. He had been convicted of eight charges following a trial at the city’s high court.

Sentence had been deferred for the court to obtain reports on Forbes’ background.

Imposing an Order for Lifelong Restriction on Forbes, Judge Michael O’Grady QC said: “As I have already had occasion to observe the offending on this indictment of which you have been convicted of are in themselves horrendous.

“They maybe of some vintage but they reveal more than a decade worth of brutal violence and sexual violence. The misery you brought the victims in this case and the damage you inflicted on them is incalculable – all that is bad enough.

“But it is further set against a background of persistent and horrific assaults of a similar nature revealing a life time of predation and significant violence and offending.”

At the High Court in Edinburgh in June 2014, Forbes was given a seven year sentence and was ordered to be supervised by the authorities for four years.

During proceedings then, the court heard how Forbes raped another woman. He led the victim into a lane at the side of a pub in Aberdeen rather than taking her into a bar for a drink and overpowered her.

During the ordeal the 24-year-old woman pleaded: “Imagine if this was your daughter.” But he ignored her and continued to sexually assault her.

The attack took place August 25 in 2012 at a lane at Castle Street in the city.

The victim had been out drinking with a work party and was joined by her boyfriend during the evening.

His then lawyer Gary Allan QC said: “I recognise this is a serious crime committed by someone who at an earlier stage in his life had committed a crime of the same type, although in different circumstances.”

Lord Bracadale pointed out that Forbes had “a very significant previous conviction”.

Forbes, then of Polwarth Road, Aberdeen, was ordered to be detained for six years as a teenager for a similar offence.

The court had also earlier appointed advocate Michael Anderson to represent him due to his unwillingness to co-operate with the legal process.

Judge O’Grady said that Forbes would have to serve a minimum of four years in custody. But he also said there was no guarantee he would be ever released from custody.

He added: “Let me make this clear to you and the public. It does not mean that you will be automatically released after that four year period has expired.

“The timing of your release – if indeed you are ever released will be a matter for the parole board of Scotland and not this court.

“I can neither bind or guide the board nor predict what it will decide. But I am bound to observe that you are on in any view a deeply dangerous individual and there must be at least a realistic prospect that you will never be free again.”

Judge O’Grady also placed Forbes on the Sex Offenders Register for life.