Catalin Dobre

Catalin Dobre, aged 45 and from Romania, played a significant role in a gang that exploited vulnerable women through sexual offences and human trafficking in Dundee. Convicted in a January 2025 trial at the High Court in Glasgow, Dobre was one of five members found guilty after a Police Scotland investigation began in 2021. The six-week proceedings involved 10 victims and revealed the gang's tactics of drugging women to facilitate their coercion into prostitution at brothels.

Dobre faced five charges, including the gang rape of one woman committed with Remus Stan and Cristian Urlateanu. His convictions also encompassed living off the earnings of prostitution and providing drugs to victims. After fleeing to the Czech Republic following the initial arrests, Dobre was traced and extradited to Scotland for trial. The crimes occurred at Dundee addresses including Bright Street, Gellatly Street, and Perth Road, where the women were held and exploited.

• Dobre was sentenced to 10 years in custody.
• He joins the others on the indefinite sex offenders register.
• Prosecutors highlighted the gang's remorseless pursuit of profit over human suffering.

In her statement, Procurator Fiscal Fiona Kirkby said: 'Urlateanu, Bugonea and Dobre’s attempts to escape justice by fleeing abroad failed when police found and returned them to Scotland.' Police Scotland's Detective Chief Inspector Scott Carswell noted the importance of public awareness: 'Victims are often vulnerable, they may be trapped with limited freedom or options.' The trauma-informed prosecution approach was crucial in supporting the victims throughout.

Dobre's case exemplifies the gang's collective criminality, with the court's decision to impose substantial prison terms serving as a deterrent against such exploitative practices.