A man was forced to jump to his death from a 12th-storey Aberdeen flat to escape a “friend” who had spent two days torturing him, a court has heard.
Lee Smith, 37, abducted Jamie Forbes, also 37, and held him against his will at his flat in Elphinstone Court on January 14 and January 15 2024.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard on Wednesday how Smith repeatedly struck his victim with a hammer and punched and kicked him during the assault.
Judge Lady Hood heard how the abuse inflicted on Mr Forbes was so bad that he had no other option but to jump out the window.
His lifeless body was found on the ground shortly afterwards at 3.25pm on January 15 2024.
The court was also told how concerned members of the public made repeated calls to the police – starting at 8.15am – after hearing a man screaming for help.
Despite multiple reports throughout the morning and into the afternoon – including a number of witnesses who told police they saw a man covered in blood calling for help from a window – officers were unable to find and rescue Mr Forbes.
The Police Investigations & Review Commission have confirmed that they will be looking into the circumstances of Mr Forbes’ death.
Prosecution lawyer Leanne McQuillan today told judge Lady Hood of how police officers attended at the house shortly afterwards Mr Forbes was found injured on the ground.
They found that the lock to the house had been “reversed” which would have prevented Mr Forbes from leaving.
They found Smith, who suffers from Obssessive Compulsive Disorder, washing up in his kitchen – they also found bloodstains throughout the house.
Ms McQuillan added: “The accused’s behaviour began to fluctuate dramatically, one minute he would be extremely agitated then the next, docile, eating chocolate and drinking milk.
“In discussion with police and in answer to their questions, the accused informed the officers that he was refusing to clean up the blood in the living room as it wasn’t his and he was waiting for the deceased to do it.
“The accused became upset and went through to the kitchen attempting to clean further stating he had OCD and had to be restrained briefly by Pc Stevenson to stop.
“It was then decided the accused was to be arrested.”
Repeated calls to police – but victim was never saved
The story emerged after Smith, now a prisoner of HMP Grampian, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to being responsible for Mr Forbes’s culpable homicide.
Ms McQuillan that Mr Forbes was last captured on CCTV entering the block on January 14 2024.
Ms McQuillan said that at 8.15am on January 15, a contractor working nearby heard a “male voice” shouting for the police. He thought it was coming from between the 10th and 16th floor of the block.
At the same time, a nearby resident also reported hearing a male repeatedly shouting for help but wasn’t sure where it came from. She called 999.
Lady Hood heard how just after 10am, a resident of the 10th floor heard a male voice repeatedly shouting “please help me”.
He went out onto the balcony to try to work out where it was coming from but could not see anyone. He believed the shouting was coming from above him.
Two residents who lived directly above the accused also heard shouting for help. They looked down and saw the window below was open and saw a male shouting for help and the police.
A number of other witnesses saw a male at a window of the flat with blood on his face calling for help. There were more calls made to the police.
Ms McQuillan said: “Police officers attended and made door-to-door enquiries on the 6th, 7th and 8th floor but were not able to trace the source of the shouting.
“They left the locus advising the construction workers to call back if the shouting started again.”
Killer said victim would ‘atone’ for stealing £40
The court heard that two witnesses – called Szymon Strzelcyk and Cindy Alexander – went into to the accused’s flat, arriving at 12.16pm.
Strzelcyk and Alexander noticed that the handle of the front door did not look right – it looked as if it had been reversed.
Ms McQuillan said: “The accused became angry and told Strzelcyk and Alexander that the deceased was within.
“He told them he had reversed the lock on the front door to keep him there.
“He said the deceased had stolen £40 from him and he was keeping him there for three days so he could ‘atone’ for what he had done.
“He also said he had ‘battered’ the deceased because of the stolen money.
“The deceased was seen by Strzelyk and Alexander to be lying on the living room floor in a pool of blood.
“He had multiple visible injuries including bruises and lacerations, and his face was bloodstained.
“He appeared to have soiled himself. The accused began to shout at the deceased and carried him into the bathroom.”
Jamie Forbes kicked and punched
The court heard that Strzelcyk and Alexander heard the deceased screaming from the bathroom.
The court heard how the accused put the deceased into a bath and told Strzelcyk to watch him while he put the deceased’s clothes in the washing machine.
The court heard that the accused later helped him out of the bath, wrapped him in a towel and took him into the bedroom. The deceased lay on the bed shivering.
Ms McQuillan added: “The accused then stormed through and began assaulting the deceased in the bedroom shouting ‘get off my bed you f***ing mink’.
“He was punching and kicking the deceased. Strzelcyk tried to stop it but was forced out of the room.”
Ms McQuillan added that the two witnesses then left.
The court heard that Mr Forbes then jumped from the property shortly afterwards.
Multiple injuries to his head, face, body and all four limbs
Ms McQuillan said a post-mortem was carried out on Mr Forbes found injuries that were “significant and catastrophic”.
She added: “External examination noted the deceased to have multiple blunt force injuries – bruises, abrasions and lacerations to his head, face, body and all four limbs.
“Several injuries to the deceased’s face were found to be healing and thus had not been sustained as a result of the fall.
“He was also found to have incised wounds to his hands which were consistent with defensive wounds from a sharp object.
“There were extensive fractures across all aspects of his body, and severe and extensive internal injuries.”
The court heard that Smith had served several previous jail sentences for offences.
Defence advocate Mark Stewart KC said that Smith and Mr Forbes had been “friends” with each other and were “habitual drug users”.
He said: “The taking of drugs do not provide an excuse but an explanation in this case.”
Lady Hood deferred sentence for the court to obtain reports. She told Smith, who observed proceedings via video link that he would continue to be remanded.
Smith will be sentenced at the High Court in Inverness on November 29 2024.