Rapist coerced boys to perform sex acts in exchange for Xbox codes

A rapist who preyed on young boys by bribing them with codes to use on their games consoles has been jailed for ten and a half years.

Ross Brogan, from Finnieston, Glasgow, bombarded four teenage victims with indecent communications and obscene videos, then offered payment if they would reciprocate.

The 31-year-old software engineer befriended the boys – all aged under 16 – via the social media app, Snapchat – and quickly tried to exploit them for his own gratification.

Brogan gave one more than £1,000 worth of tokens in exchange for lewd photos and videos.

He also left sex toys at a pre-arranged drop-off point, instructing that they be used in indecent photos and footage which should be sent to him.

Prosecutors told how he demanded intimate images and videos of the victims in return for Xbox or PlayStation codes, which allow users to make purchases via their games console.

One victim even confided in the 31-year-old technician about what was happening to him, unaware Brogan was his abuser.

Brogan was eventually caught after a large-scale police probe.

The first offender was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow, having pled guilty to a total of six charges, including the rape of one of the boys.

Crimes

The crimes mainly occurred in different locations in South Ayrshire.

Brogan posed as “ScottishLad2502” on Snapchat to target the unsuspecting victims.

The boy he went on to physically abuse was 13 when he was contacted on the app.

He accepted the friend request, although he did not know this was from Brogan.

Brogan soon began asking for photos of the boy in exchange for a £25 Xbox code.

The demands went on to become more “sexual” in nature.

Prosecutor Leanne Cross said Brogan would offer to leave Xbox codes or cash near the boy’s home for him to pick up.

The court heard Brogan ended up receiving a total of around 150 photos and 50 videos of this boy.

Ms Cross said: “These activities continued for several months despite the boy not knowing the identity of ‘ScottishLad2502’.”

The child received around £1,360 in Xbox codes and cash.

The court heard the boy became concerned about what was happening – and spoke to Brogan, who he knew via others.

Ms Cross told the court the child was “still unaware” of who was behind the “ScottishLad2502” Snapchat account.

The court heard Brogan initially “reassured” the boy, but then went on to ask for similar photos and videos to be sent to him.

Brogan eventually sexually abused the teenager on different occasions in 2020 and 2021.

The boy was told at one stage that £170 had been left for him at a lamppost near his home as “payment”.

The youngster’s father took him to collect the money after being told his son had won it on YouTube.

Both the victim’s parents, however, were suspicious and eventually stated they were going to contact the police.

Ms Cross: “The boy became upset and disclosed that someone had been giving him money for intimate photos via Snapchat.”

The parents were described as “shocked and disgusted” before reporting what had happened.

The user of the “ScottishLad2502” account could not initially be traced.

But Brogan was later questioned by police, and detailed investigations eventually linked him to the transfer of the game console codes.

The court heard how he also preyed upon a second boy in the same way from July 2020.

Brogan – again known as “ScottishLad2502” – demanded photos of the youngster.

Miss Cross: “He said that if he did not do it, then he would hurt him and his family.”

Brogan paid this child £45 in PlayStation codes.

Later that year, Brogan, under the same disguise, contacted a third teenager on Snapchat.

Brogan messaged: “Snap back for codes.”

The boy ended up sending photos to Brogan, who also forwarded lewd pictures of himself without revealing who he was.

The youngster got £75 of tokens for his game console.

This youngster eventually blocked the pervert after he started asking questions about his parents.

The court was further told that Brogan contacted another boy on social media, later met him and asked him to perform a sex act, which he refused to do.