Sister of man who fell to his death from flat after days of torture calls for new safeguarding law

The sister of a man who plunged to his death from a 12th-floor flat in Aberdeen after a two-day torture ordeal has called for a new law in his name to protect others.

Jamie Forbes fell from a flat window in Elphinstone Court after being abducted and held against his will for two days by Lee Smith.

The 37-year-old was struck with a hammer and punched and kicked during the ordeal on January 14 and 15 last year.

Witnesses had called 999 after hearing cries for help, but police carrying out door-to-door inquiries were unable to trace where the pleas were coming from, and left.

Mr Forbes’ body was found on the ground near the flat block on January 15.

Smith was handed an eight-year jail term in December last year after pleading guilty to culpable homicide.

A preliminary fatal accident inquiry hearing into Jamie’s death will begin in Aberdeen on Tuesday.

Lyndsay-Anne Forbes, Jamie’s sister, is now calling for the implementation of Jamie’s Law, which would ensure police can’t leave an area until they have traced a person in distress and made sure they are safe.

‘They left him in there to die’

Police attended the flat block in January 2024 after being contacted by concerned members of the public and nearby neighbours.

Several witness accounts of cries for help and reports of a male at a window of a flat with blood on his face were made to officers.

Investigating officers made door-to-door enquiries on the sixth, seventh and eighth floors, but were not able to trace the source of the shouting and left.

Ms Forbes described her brother as a vulnerable man who was “kind”.

Lyndsay-Anne Forbes is calling for a new law in her brother's name. — Lyndsay-Anne Forbes is calling for a new law in her brother’s name. STV News

“I never heard so many stories about how kind Jamie was,” she told STV News. “He was lost, that’s why he ended up where he ended up. He was looking for friends.

“Jamie would have thought someone was coming to save him. He had faith.”

Lyndsay-Anne says the FAI into her brother’s death is important, but fears she will feel “retraumatized” listening to what Jamie went through.

“It doesn’t help me. It doesn’t make me feel any better. In fact, it makes me feel worse. I’m going to see pictures and video, but I’m willing to do it to make sure that the same police who are willing to arrest people for the things they do are held responsible for the job they are paid to do.

“My brother was dehumanised, he was humiliated, and he was beaten and he was lost.

“I want to make sure we get Jamie’s Law to make sure he didn’t die in vain.

“When [police] are called to an incident, of anybody hearing anybody scream, or anybody in distress, that unit cannot leave there until you find that person and make sure they are safe. That’s how simple Jamie’s Law is.

“If it had been implemented and mandatory, they would have saved Jamie. They left him in there to die.”

Jamie Forbes died after jumping from the 12th floor of Elphinstone Court, Aberdeen. Police ScotlandSTV News

Richard Pitts, of solicitors Digby Brown, is supporting Ms Forbes.

“The purpose of the fatal accident inquiry is to establish what happened, what went wrong, and what can be learned from that. That can hopefully give the client the answers they need,” he said.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the family of Jamie Forbes.

“Police Scotland will co-operate fully with the fatal accident inquiry into his death and carefully consider any findings or further actions.”