New dad posed as boy online to send sex messages to schoolgirl

A new dad posed as a 15-year-old boy to speak sexually to a girl he believed was 12-years-old.

Ryan Martin, 30, was instead chatting to an undercover officer posing as a ‘decoy’ from his then home in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, in October and November 2020.

Martin’s conversations included repeatedly asking for pictures of the girl and describing how he would have sex with her.

After his arrest, Martin, now of Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, claimed he acted out of “stress” due to his work and being a new father.

Martin pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to sending sexual communication to an adult pretending to be a child.

He also admitted sending a sexual image to an adult posing as a child.

The court heard Martin met the decoy via an online chatroom.

A transcript of the chat log was read out to the court.

In it, Martin sent pictures of a bare-chested man and asked the ‘girl’ to send a “sexual” picture.

He later said: “You look older, I would keep us a secret anyway if we done anything you wanted xx.”

The decoy replied: “Ok like I ain’t gonna tell no one lol, how old r u?”

Martin stated: “15, is that too old? Can I see more pics of you xxx”

Martin also wanted the decoy to be his girlfriend and later described sex with her.

His house was later raided when he told officers he had been chatting to “anyone” for over a year.

Prosecutor Mhairi Alexander added: “He confirmed his children resided with him and he spoke about experiencing stress due to his partner’s pregnancy, his work, being a new father and the death of his father-in-law.”

Sentence was deferred until next month pending background reports by Sheriff Andrew Cubie.

Martin was granted bail and put on the Sex Offenders’ Register meantime.