Killer Greenock driver Craig Forbes branded 'selfish'

Largs Thistle footballer Forbes caused catastrophic injuries to 59-year-old David Horn after deciding to drive home from a wedding instead of using Airbnb accommodation he'd booked.

Forbes, who was jailed for four years on Thursday, overtook a car on the A78 when it was not safe and lost control of his Volkswagen Golf which smashed into Mr Horn's Toyota Yaris.

In an emotional statement issued after Greenock man Forbes was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow, Mr Horn's wife, Jacqueline, said: "Our lives have changed forever. This is due to a selfish decision made by Craig Forbes.

"This choice resulted in not only the death of my husband, but a father, son and friend of many.

"Now we have to live the rest of our lives without David and Craig Forbes will now be known as a killer."

Mrs Horn added: "Although he has been sentenced today, we have been given a life sentence because of his actions that night of which we will never forgive him."

Mr Horn was returning home on the night of October 15, 2022 after dropping his daughter off in Greenock at 11.20pm, when the horrific smash occurred.

Mr Horn's cause of death was recorded as 'chest injuries due to road traffic collision'.

He had sustained fractures to his forearm, both thigh bones as well as internal injuries, including to his spine and ribs.

Forbes was also treated at hospital for injuries to his leg, pelvis and bruised lungs.

Judge Douglas Brown, passing sentence at the High Court in Glasgow, stated that he had regard to the injuries Forbes had sustained, his early guilty plea, and the young person's sentencing guidelines for offenders under 25.

The judge said the effect of Mr Horn's death on his loved ones had been "devastating".

He said: "I have read the victim impact statements from Mr Horn's wife of 24 years, Jacqueline, and his two children.

"These statements, in eloquent, moving terms, describe the impact his death had upon them.

"It is clear from what they say that he was a loving and hugely supportive husband and father.

"This has changed their lives forever, and they have difficulty contemplating a future without him.

"Nothing the court can impose can realistically bring any significant comfort to them."

Mr Horn, a retired procurement manager for Hewlett Packard, was described as a 'loving, caring and compassionate husband and father, and a ready, willing and true friend to many'.

A collision investigation determined that the crash had 'occurred as a result of Forbes, while impaired by alcohol, losing directional control of his car for an unknown reason'.

The report added: "This caused the car to enter the southbound lane and strike the front of Mr Horn's car.

"Mr Horn had insufficient time to take evasive action.

"Forbes was solely to blame for the collision which caused Mr Horn's death."

As well as his prison sentence, Forbes has also been banned from the roads for seven and must re-sit the extended driving test at the end of his period of disqualification.

Prosecutor Alex Sutherland told the court: "After the collision, Forbes' car continued to travel north-east and it struck a verge causing it to rotate 90 degrees.

"It rolled on its nearside in the southbound lane.

"It's final position was resting on its nearside and it was subsequently rolled onto its wheels for Forbes to be freed."

Mr Horn's car meantime rotated 180 degrees anticlockwise on the southbound lane.

Both cars sustained extensive front damage which was shown to the court on screens.

Mr Horn was initially found trapped in his car by paramedics before he was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

He went into full cardiac arrest during the journey and CPR was carried out.
Mr Horn was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1.26am on October 16 2022.

Forbes was unable to give a blood sample, to ascertain his alcohol level at the time of the crash, until three hours afterwards.

Subsequent calculations revealed that he was nearly three times the booze limit at the time of  the crash.

Simon Gilbride, defending, told the sentencing hearing that his client had purchased an Airbnb room near to the wedding venue.

Mr Gilbride said: "The consequences of his actions are incredibly tragic.

"One can imagine what [Mr Horn's] family have experienced and the loss that they must feel.

"At the wedding, when drinking, there was no intention at that point to go outside and drive that night.

"There was no consideration as to how much he was drinking at that point.

"Impulsively, he left the wedding. That was a colossal error on his part and he will regret that for the rest of his life."

Following Forbes' guilty plea on March 1, Largs Thistle announced that they would "support Craig in his ongoing progress as he learns to deal with the devastation that he has caused".

Forbes had continued to play for the club while court proceedings were ongoing, but has not been selected for the matchday squad since pleading guilty.

He last appeared for Largs as a substitute in the 1-0 win over Irvine Meadow on February 17 this year.