MICHAEL FORBES CAUSES UPROAR IN ABERBARGOED AFTER FALSE SEX OFFENDER CLAIM

On the evening of September 1, a tense and chaotic scene unfolded in Aberbargoed when a large crowd gathered outside a residence on Commin Road. The gathering, which reportedly consisted of up to 60 individuals, was driven by the mistaken belief that the house was occupied by a known sex offender, Michael Forbes. This misinformation led to a significant public disturbance, with many residents expressing anger and concern.

According to a spokeswoman from Gwent Police, the situation escalated around 4:30 pm, prompting law enforcement to intervene. As a result of the unrest, two individuals were detained and subsequently issued fixed penalty notices for public order offences. The identities of these individuals have not been publicly disclosed, but they were identified as a 39-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman.

It is important to clarify that Michael Forbes, a 60-year-old man from Aberbargoed, was not present at the address during the incident. Forbes had been sentenced just days earlier, on August 29, at Newport Crown Court, to serve 16 months in prison. The charges against him involved the making and possession of indecent images of children, as well as viewing extreme pornographic material. His conviction also resulted in the imposition of a 15-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which restricts his internet access and prohibits any unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16. Additionally, Forbes has been registered on the Sex Offender Register for a decade.

Eyewitnesses at the scene reported a heavy police presence, with one observer noting that approximately 11 police vehicles were parked nearby, underscoring the seriousness with which authorities responded to the crowd's actions. The incident highlights the dangers of misinformation and the potential for community unrest when false assumptions about individuals' criminal status circulate rapidly within local neighborhoods.