He'd been plotting for months to kidnap and abuse a young girl while he posed as a policeman – but authorities swooped in before he could act.
Authorities have warned something "terrible" could have happened if police did not quickly swoop on a WA man who has been jailed over an evil plan to kidnap and abuse a young girl inside his own home.
Jason Williams Forbes has been jailed for seven years and five months for plotting to pose as a policeman in order to abduct a girl in 2024.
The predator's plan, described as an elaborate mind map, was etched onto a mirror in the master bedroom of his Baldivis home, about 40 kilometres south of Perth.
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The 39-year-old built a "panic room" in the attic to hide the child, buying timber for the construction from Bunnings.
Authorities were tipped off after intercepting a child sex doll, which represented a female aged between 11 and 12, in the middle of 2024.
Detective Acting Superintendent Eamon Flanagan said police needed to respond swiftly before Forbes could move forward with his plans.
"Police intervention with the Australian Border Force (ABF) stopped a very dangerous situation from occurring," Flanagan told media today.
"It was clear there was serious and imminent risk if there had been any delay in this investigation."
Flanagan warned that a child could have been harmed without rapid police intervention.
He said, while a case like this is rare in WA, it was important that members of the community report suspicious activity to authorities.
"Without decisive action, something terrible could have happened in this case," he added.
"Every report that we receive is dealt with promptly and taken seriously.
"We're lucky we do live in a very safe state in WA where these types of incidents are rare."
Families living on the same street as Forbes did not know the nature of his offending until police revealed the information yesterday.
Flanagan said police would have taken adequate action if any nearby children were at risk.
The Baldivis property was sold to a new owner, who said they weren't told of the former resident's plans before they bought it.
The extent of Forbes' planning was revealed in court.
The judge told the court officers found nappies and children's underwear and nearly 80,000 files of child exploitation material, many stored in a folder labelled "X marks the spot".
Forbes' internet searches included "volunteer childcare work near me", "how to build a panic room in the loft", "knockout chemicals and gases" and "how old can a child be left at home alone".
He also took photos of children using the cameras on his Tesla, which had windows fitted with pieces of dark-tinted perspex sheets and mapping history of various childcare centres across Perth.
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Forbes had tried to explain how his depraved internet searches were "research" for a novel he was writing, adding that he owned a fake police badge as he liked to dress up.
The judge rejected all of this, saying he believed the electrician planned to follow through with the kidnap plot and sexual assault of a child.
He pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including attempting to possess child-like sex dolls, using a carriage service to prepare or plan to engage in sexual activity with a child under 16, and possessing child exploitation material.
The electrician was jailed for seven years and five months, due for parole in just under four years.
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Detective Acting Superintendent David Palmer earlier said police were able to disrupt the offender's actions before any child was physically harmed.
"Detectives from Child Exploitation Operations are putting offenders on notice. If you harm children, or if you are involved in child exploitation in any form, you will be found, you will be charged, you will face significant time in prison, and we will seize your assets," he said.
"This investigation is a clear example of early intervention preventing harm to children."
Australian Border Force Commander Ranjeev Maharaj said the initial detection by the ABF of a child-like sex doll smuggled into Australia ended up uncovering a concerning number of additional crimes.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)
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