RYAN STRATHIE PERTH SEX OFFENDER GROOMING SCANDAL SHOCKS COMMUNITY

A man from Perth, Ryan Strathie, has been officially recognized as a significant threat to children after he was caught engaging in inappropriate online communication with a 14-year-old boy. The incident led to his imprisonment for a period of ten months, highlighting the severity of his actions and the ongoing concerns surrounding online grooming and child safety.

Strathie, aged 23 at the time of sentencing, was detained after failing to comply with a community order that had previously been imposed upon him. Despite being classified as a 'high risk' individual, he did not adhere to the conditions set by the court. As part of his punishment, he was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for a duration of seven years, following his admission to breaching the terms of his unpaid work and supervision order.

The Perth Sheriff Court heard detailed accounts of how Strathie had sent sexually explicit messages to the young teenager he had befriended through Facebook. The disturbing communications came to light after his own mother reported his behavior to the authorities. During the investigation, it was revealed that Strathie had described a series of sexual acts he wished to perform on the boy, which further underscored the dangerous nature of his conduct.

The discovery of his messages was accidental; Strathie had used a friend’s phone to log into his Facebook account and, in a moment of forgetfulness, failed to log out. This oversight allowed the messages to be accessed by others, leading to his eventual arrest. The offending took place between July 6 and August 8, 2019, at an address in Perth.

According to Deputy Fiscal Matthew Kerr, the case was brought to light through a series of disclosures within Strathie’s family. His sister was in the living room when he confided in her about his online interactions with a young boy. When questioned, he admitted that the boy was 14 or 15 years old. His sister immediately expressed her disapproval, informing him that his actions were wrong, and subsequently told him to leave her home. She also contacted their mother to inform her of the situation.

The following day, a friend of Strathie’s called him, and he explained that he had been expelled from his sister’s house because he had fallen for someone he shouldn’t have. Later that evening, Strathie borrowed his friend’s phone and logged into Facebook to communicate with his mother. While he was sleeping, the friend accessed his account and discovered the conversation with the minor, which included explicit messages. Screenshots of these exchanges confirmed that Strathie repeatedly expressed a desire to kiss the boy, called him “hot,” and described carrying out sexual acts on him.

At his initial sentencing in 2020, Sheriff Gillian Wade described Strathie as being at a high risk of reoffending and further sexual misconduct. She acknowledged that he had some awareness of the seriousness of his actions and their consequences but emphasized the danger he posed. The court ordered him to complete 120 hours of unpaid work, placed him under supervision for three years, and mandated his participation in the 'Moving Forward Making Changes' program.

Despite these measures, the court was informed that Strathie had failed to complete the required work and had breached the court’s orders multiple times. His solicitor, Pauline Cullerton, expressed remorse on his behalf, stating that he accepted full responsibility and was very upset about his behavior. Nevertheless, the repeated breaches led to his current ten-month jail sentence, reflecting the court’s stance on the seriousness of his offenses and the need to protect the community from potential harm.