Grandmother gets suspended sentence for sexual abuse of girl in orphanage 50 years ago

Woman who worked as a care assistant told gardaí she believed she was in a 'romantic relationship' with victim

Rita Ryan bought €15,000 to court to offer as a token of remorse. Picture: Collins Courts

A Dublin grandmother who sexually abused an 11-year-old girl in the orphanage she was working in almost 50 years ago told gardaí that she believed she was in a romantic relationship with the girl.

Rita Ryan (69) was in her early 20s and working as a care assistant when she first began to abuse the child after calling into her bedroom at night-time and asking her if she knew “what French kissing was?”.