DRINK DRIVE KILLER JAILED
Junior player sentenced to four years in prison
A DRUNK junior footballer who killed a Rangers fan in a horror car crash was jailed for four years yesterday.
Largs Thistle player Craig Forbes, 23, was more than twice the legal limit when he smashed into David Horn’s car on the A78 in Inverclyde on October 15, 2022. The dad of two, 59, later died from his injuries.
Tributes were paid to David at Ibrox as fans held an applause on the 59th minute at a Rangers v Livingston match.
The season ticket holder from Wemyss Bay was described as a “loving, caring and compassionate husband and father, and a ready, willing and true friend to many.” The retired procurement manager is survived by his wife and two children.
First offender Forbes pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to causing death by dangerous driving.
Judge Douglas Brown took into account Forbes’ own injuries, his early guilty plea and sentencing guidelines for offenders under 25.
The judge said: “I have read the victim impact statements from Mr Horn’s wife of 24 years, Jacqueline, and his children.
“It is clear he was a loving and hugely supportive husband and father. Nothing the court can impose
We’ve been given a life sentence. We’ll never forgive him jacqueline horn on death of husband david
can realistically bring any significant comfort to them.”
Forbes was banned from driving for seven years. He must then sit the extended test.
After sentencing, David’s wife Jacqueline said their lives had “changed forever”.
She added: “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 without David and Craig Forbes will be known as a killer.
“Although he has been sentenced, we have been given a life sentence. We will never forgive him.”
The court heard David was driving home in his Toyota Yaris at 11.20pm after dropping his daughter in Greenock. Forbes was returning to the town after a wedding. Just
before the crash, he overtook a car in his Volkswagen Golf when it was unsafe to do so. Prosecutor Alex Sutherland said: “Forbes lost control and entered the southbound lane, colliding head-on with Mr Horn.”
David was trapped in his car. He had CPR in the ambulance on the way to Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital after his heart stopped, and died in hospital.
Forbes had leg and pelvis injuries and bruised lungs and was unable to give a blood sample for three hours. Calculations put his alcohol level between 120 and 130 milligrams. The limit is 50 milligrams.
His lawyer Simon Gilbride said Forbes had booked an Airbnb near the wedding. He said: “There was no intention to drive. Impulsively, he left the wedding, a colossal error he will regret for the rest of his life.”
Largs Thistle backed their player after his guilty plea, saying they “believe in positive rehabilitation”.