"Every parent's worst nightmare" - Scots Snapchat sex beast butcher jailed for grooming kids

A butcher who posed as a teenager to groom young boys on Snapchat was branded "every parent's worst nightmare" as he was jailed for his crimes.

Ryan King was told he had "robbed" his victims of their "innocence and childhood" as he was locked up for nearly four years - and told he will be monitored for three years once released from prison.

The 31-year-old pretended to be 15 and bombarded children as young as 11 on the app with pictures and videos of himself and others performing sex acts.

He also tried to arrange meet ups while claiming to be a teenage boy called Sam between April and November last year.

Today, Thursday, April 23, 2026, he was jailed at Paisley Sheriff Court for the offences, which saw him targeting boys aged 11, 12, 13 and 15.

And he was slammed by a sheriff for his abuse of the youngsters, one of whom is autistic and has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Sheriff Gillian Craig jailed King, of Rutherglen, near Glasgow, for 45 months and ordered him to be supervised in the community for three years once released.

As she did so, she said: "You are, to my mind, every parent's worst nightmare. 

"At this age these boys should have been interested in football and gaming and making friends with people their own age, not the disgusting and despicable things you sent them.

"These children should never have seen this material. You've robbed them of their innocence.

"They were all groomed by you. The shame is all yours - not theirs.They felt disgusted, frightened, shocked, scared.

"You tried to meet them but thankfully that did not come to pass - not for any want of trying on your part.

"There is no alternative to a custodial disposal - that is the only appropriate disposal here.

"These children were robbed of their childhood to some degree. This is the maximum sentence I can impose."

The sentence was reduced from 60 months as King had admitted his guilt at a pre-trial hearing.

She also placed King on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years and made him the subject of a 10-year-long Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

That places limits on his freedoms and his online activities once he is released from custody.

And she imposed a lifelong Non-Harassment Order, banning him from approaching or contacting his victims for the rest of his life.

His lawyer told the court the serial sex offender had been struggling with work at the time and had "resorted to old behaviours"

The court heard previously that King asked the boys to send him nude pictures of themselves and if they wanted to meet up with him.

He pleaded guilty to four charges - one in relation to each boy - under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009.

KIng's first victim was aged just 11 at the time and began to receive messages from King on Snapchat, while he was using the name Sam.

He sent pictures and videos, including around 500 images of girls and boys touching each other.

King was a finalist in the Level 2 Modern Apprentice of the Year category at the Scottish Craft Butcher Training Awards 2017.

He was working with Mitchell's butchers in Erskine, Renfrewshire, at the time.

King has two previous convictions for possession of indecent images of children and one for sending obscene messages and pictures to an 11-year-old girl.