A thug has been locked up after stabbing a man in the back in a “drug deal which went wrong”.
Jordan Forbes had arrived with others in a car on Stoneywood Brae in order to buy a “large amount of cocaine” from a male.
But when the 20-year-old left the vehicle to meet the man a “struggle” ensued which resulted in Forbes stabbing him in the back.
The knife, around six or seven inches in length, damaged the man’s kidney and left him requiring surgery to stop internal bleeding.
Fiscal depute Colin Neilson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened in a residential car park outside a block of flats on Stoneywood Brae on January 11 last year.
Large amount of cocaine
A drug deal had been arranged for the complainer to sell a “large amount of cocaine” to another male.
Forbes attended in a car along with the man and others around 3am. Forbes exited the car, taking with him the weapon, to meet the complainer who had come out of a flat.
Mr Neilson said: “A struggle ensued between the accused and the complainer, during which the accused stabbed the complainer in the back, through his jacket.”
The complainer immediately ran back inside to seek shelter, while Forbes got back in the car which drove off.
His victim had to undergo surgery at hospital to stop internal bleeding, which the wound also damaging one of his kidneys. He has been left with a scar from the attack.
Metal pipe wrench
In a separate incident on May 13 last year, Forbes hit his neighbour on George Street over the head with a metal pipe wrench in a row over loud music.
Mr Neilson told the court “tensions were high” between Forbes and the neighbour in the weeks leading up to the incident due to noise levels in Forbes’ flat.
On May 13 the man “confronted” Forbes about the noise and an argument broke out.
Mr Neilson said: “The accused leaned out of the flat and struck the complainer on the head with a metal wrench.
“The complainer’s head started to bleed immediately. He went back to his flat and called an ambulance.”
The attack left a 3-4cm laceration on the man’s head, which had to be closed using six sutures.
Forbes, whose address was given in the most recent court papers as George Street, Aberdeen, pled guilty to assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement over the stabbing, and assault to severe injury over the incident with the wrench.
‘Vulnerable, socially-isolated individual’
He also admitted another separate charge of being concerned in the supply of cocaine on August 27, 2019, and breaching a bail curfew.
Defence agent Tony Burgess described his client as a “vulnerable, socially-isolated individual”.
Regarding the stabbing, he said: “This is a drug deal which went wrong.”
He said Forbes had been told by others to get out of the car and be the “final link between getting what they are there to buy”.
The solicitor added: “There’s an altercation and the complainer is stabbed by Mr Forbes.”
‘Tensions’ between the men
He said the knife had been in the car already and Forbes had decided to “arm himself” with it when leaving the vehicle to meet the man.
In relation to the wrench assault, Mr Burgess said there had been “tensions” between the men and that the neighbour had been banging on Forbes’ door asking him to turn his music down.
He said Forbes lashed out after the man had begun to kick a dog that had bitten him.
Sheriff Philip Mann told Forbes: “I’m afraid the collective effect of what you have pled guilty to leads me to the conclusion there’s no suitable alternative to a custodial sentence.
“The two assault charges are, in themselves, so serious they could probably each have warranted a custodial sentence, even for a first offender.”
The sheriff handed Forbes a total of 30 months detention.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.
