Jason Ryan/Ryan Ireland: Convicted Sex Offender Using Aliases
This article is not written with malicious intent, nor to harass or defame anyone. It is shared in good faith and in the public interest, based on information already reported publicly or directly experienced by others. The purpose is awareness and protection - not personal attack. This post has been written with the intention of keeping our community informed, so we can all make safe and informed choices. The industry has a long history of silence around harm. Breaking that silence is the first step toward real safeguarding.
The 98% has been made aware of ongoing concerns regarding Jason Ryan, a convicted sex offender who has continued to access creative spaces under a different alias (most recently ‘Ryan Ireland’ and ‘Ryan Jay’). This post is being shared in the public interest to ensure safety, transparency, and accountability.
Why We Are Sharing This
Our industry lacks proper vetting procedures, leaving actors and creatives vulnerable to individuals who may exploit those gaps. DBS and criminal record checks should be a standard practice. When they are not, people with documented histories of harmful behaviour can re-enter the industry - and regain access to vulnerable people, including children. It is also all too easy to just adopt a new name and continue undetected - which is why it’s so important for there to be clear reporting mechanisms, transparent communication, and industry-wide accountability measures in place. This is about safeguarding. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their workplace and to know if they are working alongside someone with a history of harmful behaviour.
Documented Convictions
Jason Ryan, from Grappenhall, has a documented criminal record. In 2022 he was convicted of sexual offences involving a minor and placed on the UK sex offender registry (Offenders.org.uk). He was handed a 10-year notification requirement at Warrington Magistrates Court and was spared prison after admitting sexual exploitation of a child.
Court reports show that he groomed a 14-year-old school pupil, again using an alias, while working as a drama teacher, sending sexually explicit messages (Warrington Guardian; Sunday World).
Further information can also be found at Made by Red Rose.
Ongoing Concerns
Since his conviction, women have raised allegations of stalking, harassment, intimidation, grooming, and manipulation involving Jason Ryan. At least two women have reported alleged stalking to The 98%. He has reportedly changed his name to continue accessing spaces with children, and theatres to work in. Some theatres and directors where Jason Ryan has been working have been informed of his conviction in order to make people aware and protected. However, in several cases, casts were not told. Not disclosing this information can actively put people at risk. In addition, Jason is reported to maintain a presence on social media despite restrictions imposed due to his conviction. If accurate, this could enable ongoing contact or manipulation, further highlighting the need for vigilance and safeguarding measures.
Reports have been made to Equity but, despite multiple submissions, no action has yet been taken. Police have also been contacted, but those involved in this case feel entirely let down and dismissed by the authorities who have the means to help. And, as many unfortunately know, non-contact offences and safeguarding breaches often receive little timely response. This creates a dangerous gap in protection that can be exploited.
What This Means
Productions are free to hire who they wish, but people deserve to be informed and to make their own choices with full knowledge of the risks. This is a safeguarding issue, not a misunderstanding. When someone uses an alias it can be hard to know about their past for sure, but people should be doing as much due diligence as possible. In the past year Jason has even worked in a theatre space which, at the time, also had a child working there too. A child around the same age as the girl Jason was convicted of grooming. This is a stark example of the real-world dangers that can arise when past convictions are hidden and due diligence is not undertaken.
In another instance, a theatre was informed of Jason’s past and the use of his alias, yet the director chose to continue with the play and not inform the cast - including the cast member who, reportedly, as part of the production, had to enact a scene of a sexual nature. Unknowingly, through the choice of the director, this actress was performing a sex scene with a convicted sex offender.
Another example of how lapses in safeguarding put people at risk is that Jason was able to acquire a technician job at a scratch night where a woman who, according to reports was being stalked by him, was performing. When this actress arrived at the event she felt too vulnerable to make the organisers aware, and so had to perform in front of the man she alleges had been targeting her for months.
Creatives deserve safe spaces where transparency and accountability are prioritised. The fact that someone with a documented conviction can adopt an alias and return to working, especially with young people, should alarm us all. Nine separate reports have been made to Equity about this man, his behaviour, and past, yet there has been no follow up, action taken, or warnings put out to others.
What You Can Do
Talking about and confronting these issues can be uncomfortable, but ignoring them is dangerous. These aren’t just allegations - this is someone who has been convicted and is evading proper checks by using a different name. Equity were asked if they could reach out to theatres directly with a PSA about this individual, so productions can make informed hiring choices, but to date, nothing has been done. This has left the current victims of stalking alone in trying to keep others safe - putting themselves at risk in the process.
If you have a harmful experience involving this man, please report it to Cheshire Police and consider informing Equity so safeguarding concerns continue to be logged.
You can also reach out to us at The 98% for signposting, resources, support, and help with reporting.
Below is a quote from the woman who first got in touch with The 98% about her experience of alleged stalking from Jason - who shared this in response to the writing of this post…
“I was made to feel unsafe and worried for my family. No police response or protection. He continues to work and be at venues I use - working with others unaware of his conviction. Never knowing if he will be turn up working somewhere I am working…You live in constant fight or flight. You lose the love for the industry after being consistently ignored - by Equity especially, and venues sweeping it under the carpet.
I have been spoken to like I am the convicted criminal, just for making others aware.
This experience changes you.Seeing this man do the same patterns with other performers - stalking, bombarding, lying…you feel powerless!
We are tarnished and connected with him forever.
Threatening colleagues that they won’t work in the industry again.
Worrying if you’ll be threatened next.All we did was go to work. Why don’t we have the same protection as other work places?
The trauma of this will last a lifetime and yet he continues to work in this industry, with children and other vulnerable people.
Grooming a child is simply wrong. He doesn’t deserve the same access to the arts anymore, let alone with young people!More regulation and protection is needed.
I have lost all faith in the authorities and it’s a terrifying world to think you can’t protect yourself.
He has impacted multiple other people, performers, and theatres since me.
When does the cycle end?If it wasn’t for the support from The 98% and other performers reminding me to report, he would have been continuing regardless - with no warning out there about him.
My voice is one small voice. But it is important to be heard. Which will create more voices - that, I am sure of!
I’ve learnt not to stay silent and keep fighting.
Who knows how many silent voices are out there impacted and suffering in silence.Use your voice, it’s all we have to make changes.” - Anon
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