September 2017 Former teacher subjected Very young girl to series of sexual assaults A former teacher who subjected a very young girl to a series of sexual assaults has been jailed. Edward Ryan, 67, molested one of his pupils at a Harlow primary school on four occasions during private lessons between September 15 and October 20, 2015. Ryan, of Venmore Drive, Great Dunmow, was only caught when the girl in question, who cannot be named for legal reasons, confided in her father. But rather than admitting his guilt, Ryan decided to subject his victim to a trial, where she had to give evidence via video link. A former governor at Helena Romanes School in Great Dunmow, Ryan denied four charges of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 during his trial at Chelmsford Crown Court. But the jury of twelve delivered a verdict of guilty on all charges this afternoon (Monday, September 18). Last week his victim was cross-examined by Sasha Bailey who asked her a number of questions relating to the attacks. Ryan would have the girl sit on his knee while he molested her as she tried to do her work. Clutching a cuddly teddy bear, she broke down in tears as she recounted the abuse she suffered at her attacker’s hands. After receiving conflicting advice from her friends, one who said it was “normal”, the girl eventually revealed her secret to her father after she began to suffer from a “stinging” pain when she passed urine. Addressing the court, her father said: “She said, ‘Daddy, can I tell you something, I’m frightened to tell you something.'” “I simply said, ‘Darling, you can tell me anything you like’. “She said, ‘The thing is, Mr Ryan had been putting his fingers inside my knickers.’ “I said straight away that she had not doing anything wrong. “She seemed very distressed.” More news: Sex offender sent girl video of sex act and groped her in orchard Judge David Turner QC sentenced Ryan, who was supported by his wife throughout the trial, to four years in prison.