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Australian actress in ‘Prisoner’ convicted of child abuse

In this June 2, 2009 photo, Australian veteran actress Maggie Kirkpatrick speaks about the production of stage show Wicked at a media call in Sydney, Australia. Kirkpatrick, who played a violent and corrupt warden nicknamed "The Freak" in a cult Australian soap opera set in a women's prison, appeared in a court Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015, charged over child sex allegations dating back to the 1980s. (Tracey Nearmy/AAP Image via AP) NO ARCHIVING, AUSTRALIA OUT, NEW ZEALAND OUT, PAPUA NEW GIUNEA OUT, SOUTH PACIFIC OUT, NO SALES In this June 2, 2009 photo, Australian veteran actress Maggie Kirkpatrick speaks about the production of stage show Wicked at a media call in Sydney, Australia. Kirkpatrick, who played a violent and corrupt warden nicknamed "The Freak" in a cult Australian soap opera set in a women's prison, appeared in a court Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015, charged over child sex allegations dating back to the 1980s. (Tracey Nearmy/AAP Image via AP) NO ARCHIVING, AUSTRALIA OUT, NEW ZEALAND OUT, PAPUA NEW GIUNEA OUT, SOUTH PACIFIC OUT, NO SALES

By Associated Press August 20, 2015 1 min read

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) – Veteran actress Maggie Kirkpatrick, who played a violent and sadistic warden nicknamed “The Freak” in a cult Australian soap opera set in a women’s prison, has been convicted of molesting a 14-year-old psychiatric hospital patient in her home more than 30 years ago.

The series was known as “Prisoner” in Australia, and “Prisoner: Cell Block H” or “Caged Women” overseas. It ran from 1979 to 1986.

A magistrate on Thursday found the 74-year-old her guilty of all charges after a hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates Court. Kirkpatrick will be sentenced on Friday. It is not clear what sentence she could face.

Kirkpatrick, whose character Joan “The Freak” Ferguson would molest inmates with the excuse of conducting body searches, had pleaded not guilty to molesting the young fan.