In 1999, the Offender Database reported that Mark Ryan, then 37, of Griffin Mews, Farnworth, Widnes, was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Warrington Crown Court. Ryan, a communications engineer, was found guilty of six vile charges involving indecent assault and indecency with three young girls. The investigation by Cheshire Constabulary revealed that the horrendous incident took place in Speke, Liverpool, while Ryan was sitting in his work van, using his vehicle as a base to target the children.
The court heard that the victims, two aged six and one aged nine, were subjected to Mark Ryan’s predatory behaviour before one of the girls bravely informed her father. Despite the serious nature of the allegations, Ryan maintained a deplorable insistence on his innocence throughout his trial, claiming he was not even at the scene. Judge John Morgan dismissed these claims, describing the events as a “nasty incident” and stating that only an immediate custodial sentence could be justified for such depraved conduct.
During the proceedings, the prosecution detailed how Ryan had behaved indecently in front of the young girls, causing significant distress to the children and their families in Widnes and Speke. While his defence counsel noted he had no previous similar convictions, the judge emphasised the horrific breach of public decency and the vulnerability of the victims. The conviction ensured that Mark Ryan was held accountable for the vile acts committed from his communications van.
As a result of his convictions for indecent assault, Mark Ryan was jailed for 18 months and ordered to register under the Sex Offenders Act for ten years. He was managed under the required supervision arrangements by Cheshire Constabulary and Merseyside Police to monitor his movements in Farnworth, Widnes, and Speke. Any further predatory behaviour or failure to comply with his strict notification requirements during his registration period would have resulted in his immediate arrest and return to prison.
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