A Perth man, spared jail after repeatedly sending a series of shocking, sexually explicit messages to a 14-year-old boy, has flouted his community payback order.
Now, background reports are being prepared on 24-year-old Ryan Strathie before he returns to Perth Sheriff Court on July 21.
He was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and be supervised for three years after he sent a number of vile communications to the youth during a month-long series of social media posts.
He also had his name added to the Sex Offenders’ Register.
But the court was told that the order had been breached by the social work department.
Solicitor Pauline Cullerton said: “He admits the breach.”
Sheriff James MacDonald noted that the order had been imposed in February 2020.
He added: “It’s a significant order and the fact it’s in breach is a matter of concern.”
The sheriff told Strathie he was not revoking the order meantime.
“That means that between now and July 21, there is nothing to prevent you from engaging in this order.
“You can only help yourself if you engage.”
The sheriff said it could mean the difference of the order being “ripped up - and you going to prison,” or the order continuing.
“The ball is in your court,” he added.
Sheriff MacDonald called for a Community Justice Social Work report and a restriction of liberty order assessment before passing sentence.
Strathie previously hung his head in shame after details of his communications with the teen were read out in court.
It emerged that the accused told a female friend that he had been thrown out of the house because he had “fallen for someone he shouldn’t have”.
Strathie, whose address was given as the Greyfriars Hostel, Princes Street, Perth, previously admitted that between July 6 and August 8, 2020, at a house in Perth, he intentionally, and for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification or of humiliating, distressing or alarming the teen, he repeatedly sent the sexual communications to him.
