MAN CONVICTED OF SNAPCHAT-FUELED SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON TEENS IN TAIN
A supermarket worker who befriended teenage girls on Snapchat and gave them lifts in his car before groping them and forcing them to touch his genitals has been found guilty of two counts of sexual assault.Nathan Ross, 22, had denied both charges, one relating to a girl aged between 13 and 16, and faced trial at Inverness Sheriff Court.The court was told that Ross had used Snapchat’s automated "quick add" feature in 2019 to connect with people he did not know and had started communicating with the teens.Both victims provided testimonies from behind privacy screens, and they recounted that their initial contact was via Snapchat.The younger girl described that after a day out in Inverness with Ross, she contacted him again for a ride to her father's house, during which Ross made it clear he expected more than just money for the lift.She said, "He had informed me that I needed to pay in another way,” and she agreed to kiss him.Ross then kissed and groped her in a supermarket car park, grabbing her hand and head and pushing them toward his genitals.
She mentioned, “I grabbed his hand and told him not to.”When asked why she didn’t get out and seek help, she explained, “I didn’t know where I was.”The second girl also met Ross on Snapchat and described that during a journey with him, he made an unplanned stop for food.
In the restaurant car park, she observed, “his whole attitude changed.” She told him she didn't like his touching her leg and chest, saying, “I think it is time to go, I don’t want to do this.” Despite her protests, Ross continued and eventually stopped outside her destination, forcibly making her touch his genitals.
She said, “I said no and I thought that was clear enough.
I tried to take my hand away but he was stronger than me.”The offenses emerged after the younger victim posted about her experiences on social media.
Ross then contacted the police after seeing screenshots sent by friends.
In his defense, Ross claimed that he had given her a lift but denied any physical contact and asked, “she was making this up?” He also denied ever meeting the second girl.Sheriff Sara Matheson found him guilty, stating, “I believed both of the girls who gave evidence in court.” Sentencing was deferred for reports until November 2, and Ross was ordered to register as a sex offender with the length of registration to be decided at sentencing.
