Snapchat sex beast butcher behind bars for posing as teenager to groom kids on app

A sex beast butcher who posed as a teenager to target young boys on Snapchat is behind bars after admitting his guilt.

Ryan King, 31, pretended to be 15 and bombarded children as young as 11 with pictures and videos of himself and others performing sex acts.

One of his victims is autistic and has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and he was slammed for his conduct as he was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.

King, of Rutherglen, near Glasgow, also asked the boys - aged 11, 12, 13 and 15 - to send him nude pictures of themselves and if they wanted to meet up with him.

The details emerged today, Friday, March 20, 2026, when King appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court for a pre-trial hearing.

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

Procurator Fiscal Depute Alison McFadyen told the court that the offences took place between April and November last year.

The prosecutor said the first three boys were targeted "within the jurisdiction of Paisley Sheriff Court", while the fourth was "within the jurisdiction of Glasgow Sheriff Court".

She said 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.

She explained: "The boy thought he was a friend of a friend. He sent pictures and videos, around 500 images of girls and boys touching each other.

"They were in their 20s or younger. He sent a video of his penis and him masturbating. He told him he was 15. The boy said he was 12

"The boy asked him to stop sending him the photographs. King added him to a group chat. The boy was disgusted and scared.

"He deleted all the pictures and videos from his phone."

In October last year, King used his catfish profile to message a 15-year-old, and asked the youngster to send him pictures.

He also asked the youngster if the child wanted him to perform a sex act on him and offered to go and pick him up.

King targeted the third victim when the youngster was aged 12, and sent the youngster a picture of a naked penis and someone masturbating.

King then asked the kid to send him a picture of him in his boxers. The boy told King he was only 11, and King asked for his address and if he wanted to meet up.

His final victim suffers from autism and ADHD and the court heard he was targeted 

He was 13 at the time of the abuse, which took place in October, and it came to light when his dad checked his phone.

He saw a "concerning chat" on Snapchat, where King had asked the youngster if he masturbated, if he would expose himself and if King could meet him.

He sent the boy a picture of himself in his boxers and videos of topless women touching themselves and performing sex acts on themselves and others.

Sheriff Gillian Craig called for background reports, including a risk assessment, to be prepared ahead of sentencing.

She adjourned the case until next month, remanded him in custody, and placed him on the sex offenders' register.

As she did so, she said: "I am going to consider an extended sentence. These matters are of great concern to the court.

"You exposed these boys to material they shouldn't see and shouldn't know about at this age. I'm going to call for a risk assessment in relation to you."

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.