Sex offender sparks radio furore

Leading board member quits and major sponsor pulls the plug on future funding

By Rita Campbell

Published:

An Argyll community radio station has lost a major sponsor and an influential board member over a decision to allow a convicted sex offender to continue broadcasting.

Oban FM presenter Duncan Forgrieve, an accordion player and a member of Oban’s Masonic Lodge, was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards a 14-year-old girl.

The 51-year-old, from Oban, induced the girl to consume alcohol and video him having sex with a woman.

Forgrieve, a cemetery foreman, was found not guilty of raping both.

The offence took place between October 19, 1998, and March 31, 2000.

Sentence has been deferred but the judge told Forgrieve he could be facing jail.

At a crisis meeting on Thursday, Oban FM’s board of directors decided to allow Forgrieve, of 7 Quarry Road, to continue with his weekly Scottish music programme.

It is understood that two board members were not present at the meeting and the remainder were split over the decision.

A spokesman for Oban FM refused to comment yesterday.

Now, Argyll and Bute councillor Donald McIntosh, the local authority’s spokesman for social services, has resigned from his position as a board member.

Oban businessman John MacGregor has pulled the plug on his sponsorship of the station.

Mr MacGregor and his son-in-law, Sam Silcock, joint owners of the McGregor Hotel Group, the Argyllshire Gathering Halls and Ganavan Sands holiday park, have sponsored the station to the tune of more than £20,000 over the past eight years.

Mr MacGregor said: “We absolutely disagree with the decision.

“We as a group of companies cannot be seen to promote sex offenders.

“As a result we have withdrawn all of our sponsorship.

“I feel the board is gutless, spineless and has shown a total lack of character in not protecting normal people’s rights.

“Nobody wants to see the break-up of Oban FM over this but people have to stick up for what is right.

“We do not want to send out the message that it is OK to use lewd and libidinous practices towards 14-year-old girls.”

Councillor Donald McIntosh, who has been a board member for four years and a presenter for 10, said: “I am in charge of children’s services because of my role as spokesperson for social services.

“Duncan Forgrieve has been put on the sex offenders’ register. I could not be director of a community organisation that allows him to broadcast on air. It is just a moral position I cannot be in. I have no choice in the matter.”

A spokesman for Oban Masonic Lodge said it would not comment until Forgrieve had been sentenced.

The radio presenter is also a former coach of Oban Celtic shinty team but the club stressed yesterday he had not been involved with it for 12 years.

Forgrieve has been allowed bail while sentence is deferred for background reports.

Judge Lord McEwan told him: “You must not be lulled into a false hope that you will be a free man at the end of this. It is a very serious matter.”