Psychiatric evaluation to be carried out on serial conman who preyed on 17 women and raped two

A serial conman who preyed on 17 different women and raped two will have a psychiatric evaluation carried out before he is sentenced for his crimes.

Ryan McVeigh was back in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday.

The 32-year-old pled guilty in November to a total of 38 charges involving 17 victims in 2023 and 2024.

McVeigh picked the women via dating apps and social media using a string of fake names.

Two in particular suffered what prosecutors described as repeated “sexual, financial and a emotional abuse” at the hands of McVeigh.

He even claimed to one of the pair he was dying from terminal cancer – and got her to help plan his funeral.

Details of the ordeals suffered by the other 15 women were also revealed in court. McVeigh targeted these women online and never met them in person.

Explaining how he duped one of them, prosecutor Michael Macintosh stated: “She met McVeigh on Snapchat using the name ‘Gary Stephenson’.

“She had previously fallen victim to an online scam and was in financial difficulty.

“McVeigh – as Stephenson – offered to help with her debt, but said he needed money sent to him to unlock his business account.

“The woman sent him £2,000.”

Another lost the same amount after he contacted her on Tinder.

McVeigh told one woman he would “come and find her” after demanding cash.

He even threatened to report her for fraud.

A further victim described him as “nasty” and handed over £1,490.

Detailing how McVeigh targeted another, Mr Macintosh added: “He persuaded her to send him all her savings then take out loans and give him that money too.”

McVeigh “pressured” her to also send him explicit photos. He then blackmailed her into giving even more money.

A victim was described as “vulnerable” and had just escaped an abusive relationship.

He stood her up on a dinner date after she had earlier sent him money.

One woman had recently lost her job and McVeigh claimed he would “look after her”.

Instead, he also conned her to the extent she had to borrow money from her gran. She ended up in hospital from the torment.

McVeigh got another £2,000 from a woman he met on TikTok. He had threatened to “have her children taken away”.

One woman lost £8,500, a further victim also £2,000.

Three others were also targeted.

The last of the victims was duped for up to £4,000. McVeigh had also claimed to her that he was ill.

McVeigh – who was said to have had serious gambling issues – was due to be sentenced on Friday.

But, the case was adjourned again after Lady Drummond said she wanted a psychiatric report on McVeigh compiled first.

The judge said she had not decided yet on whether to call for a full risk assessment, which could eventually see an Order for Lifelong Restriction imposed.

He will return to the dock in March.

Among the many charges McVeigh pled guilty to were the rape of the two main victims and multiple frauds.

Mr Macintosh told the hearing in November: “McVeigh’s offending principally involves the sexual, financial and emotional abuse of two women.

“Each was induced into believing they had formed a relationship with someone over the internet.

“The truth was they were communicating with McVeigh using a false identity.

“He induced them into allowing him to live in their homes under a further fake identity.

“By a combination of his online and in-person personas, he coerced each into providing him with money and engaging in sexual activity with him under these pretences.”