LARBERTER MARTYN RYRIE JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IN SCOTLAND

In April 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving Martyn Ryrie, a 32-year-old man from Larbert, who was convicted of possessing and downloading a significant number of child sexual abuse images. The authorities uncovered the extent of his illicit activities during a police raid on his former residence in Larbert, which was carried out after receiving credible information about his involvement in such crimes.

During the operation, law enforcement officers seized two laptops from Ryrie’s home, where they discovered a disturbing collection of 50 video clips depicting children as young as four being subjected to sexual abuse. The court was informed that these videos were stored on the devices, which Ryrie had access to during the period of his offending. The police action was prompted by specific intelligence that led to the search, highlighting the importance of vigilant investigations in combating child exploitation.

At the subsequent court hearing at Stirling Sheriff Court, it was revealed that Ryrie was not acting alone; the mother of his children was present during the raid. However, she was ultimately cleared of any involvement after it was established that some of the videos had been downloaded while she was away from the home, and that Ryrie had even watched one of the clips while she was in hospital giving birth to their youngest child. This revelation led to the couple’s separation, with the mother relocating and changing the names of their children to protect their identities, as detailed earlier this week.

Prosecutor Sarah Lumsden outlined the severity of the material found, stating that all but one of the videos were classified as “category A” images—representing the most serious form of child sexual abuse, involving penetrative acts and torture. The victims depicted ranged in age from 10 to 13 years old, with some videos featuring much younger children, including a four-year-old and a six-year-old. The court was told that the content did not include sadomasochism but involved violent sexual acts against children, which are inherently violent and deeply disturbing.

Further details revealed that Ryrie had conducted online searches for terms such as “young girls hardcore” and “pre-teen incest,” and that the illicit material had been downloaded from file-sharing websites. The investigation uncovered that Ryrie’s offending spanned over five years, from March 17, 2011, to May 19, 2016, the date of the police raid. As a consequence of his actions, Ryrie lost his job in the banking industry and his home in Larbert. Currently, he resides in a shared flat in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, an area known for its social deprivation.

Ryrie pleaded guilty to the charges of downloading and possessing child pornography. The court sentenced him to nine months in prison, with an additional 27 months on extended supervision, during which he could be recalled to prison if he re-offends. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for a period of ten years. Sheriff William Gilchrist emphasized the gravity of the case, noting that although the number of images was not particularly high, the fact that almost all were classified as Category A made the offense especially serious. The sheriff also pointed out that the offending had persisted over a lengthy period of five years, warranting a custodial sentence.

As Ryrie was led away in handcuffs, he was visibly distressed, tears streaming down his face. He was accompanied by a security guard and taken to the cells to await further proceedings. The specific banking institution where Ryrie was employed was not disclosed during the court hearing, but the focus remained on the criminal acts committed within his personal life in Larbert, which have now resulted in a significant prison sentence and a decade-long requirement to register as a sex offender.