In 2013, the Offender Database reported that Martin Forbes, then 25, was jailed for 18 months at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Forbes, of Lewis Road, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, was convicted after a “serious” investigation revealed he had been “viciously” preying on schoolgirls by pretending to be a 13-year-old boy on the internet.
The court reported that Forbes admitted to 12 charges involving 10 different schoolgirls between November 2009 and September 2011. During the hearing, Forbes sat with his head in his hands, crying in the dock as the “vile” details of his digital deception were disclosed.
Digital Deception and Grooming Tactics
The investigation by Police Scotland (formerly Grampian Police) revealed that Forbes used social media and messaging platforms to “viciously” mask his true identity. By posing as a 13-year-old peer, he gained the trust of multiple schoolgirls to facilitate his “serious” predatory behaviour.
His “vile” attempts to manipulate children over a two-year period were described by prosecutors as a persistent effort to exploit the vulnerabilities of young girls in the Fraserburgh and Aberdeen areas.
Sentence and Indefinite Registration
For his “abhorrent” actions in Fraserburgh and Aberdeenshire, Martin Forbes was:
- Sentenced to 18 months in prison.
- Handed a 12-month extended sentence to be served on licence following his release.
- Placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.
The judge emphasised that the extended sentence was necessary to protect the public due to the “serious” nature of his online behaviour.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Forbes is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Police Scotland. His residency in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, and his digital behaviour remain under the most “serious” level of lifelong scrutiny.
As an indefinite member of the Sex Offenders Register, Forbes must comply with strict notification requirements. Police Scotland emphasises that their cybercrime units continue to monitor the internet for predators who use “vicious” disguises to target minors. Any breach of his lifetime registration or his extended licence conditions will result in his immediate return to prison.
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