List of East Enders Characters (1990) - Disa O'Brien

Disa O'Brien is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jan Graveson.

Disa is a tough seeming Wearside runaway, who helps Diane Butcher (Sophie Lawrence) to survive when she lives rough on the streets.

Disa is first seen in March 1990. Diane Butcher has run away from home and is fending for herself living on the streets of London, where she befriends Disa, a fellow teenage runaway. Disa is working as a prostitute and tries to convince Diane to follow the same path with the hope that they can raise the funds to share a flat together. Diane cannot bring herself to do this however, but takes up nude modelling for an artist instead. Eventually Diane's father Frank (Mike Reid) tracks her down and brings her back to Walford, whilst a bedraggled Disa remains living on the streets, begging and selling sex.

Disa had become pregnant in 1990, and she is still living rough in London just before the birth of her child. Knowing this, Diane spends days searching the streets of London for Disa, hoping to provide her and her soon to be born baby with accommodation. After a series of leads result in nothing, Diane is about to give up hope when her friend Mark Fowler (Todd Carty) spots Disa arguing with an unknown man about her baby. However when Mark makes his presence known she and the man flee, and Disa disappears. The following day, on Christmas Eve, Diane is approached by a homeless man who agrees to bring Disa to her in exchange for money. Diane finally gets a chance to speak to her friend, but Disa refuses to take her help, and orders Diane to stay out of her life and leaves. On Christmas Day Disa goes into labour, alone in a derelict building near Walford, and gives birth to a little girl. Disa knows that a life living rough on the streets is no place for a new born baby, so that same day she decides to leave her baby in a cardboard box on the Butcher's doorstep, with the hope that Diane will take her in.

Diane and her boyfriend Mark once again search the streets of London and eventually find Disa. They manage to bring her back to Albert Square (under protest) to live in Mo Butcher's (Edna Doré) empty flat, in the hope that she will become attached to her child, who is originally called Billie, but is later renamed Jasmine.

It is a rough ride for Disa, as she is severely lacking parenting skills. She also finds it difficult to bond with her baby initially, but with the help of Diane and Mark she begins to settle into life in the Square, and she soon grows to love her baby. Dot Cotton (June Brown), who often attracts waifs and strays, looks after the child when Disa wont or cant. On one occasion, she unwittingly lets a stranger called Ken Raynor (Ian Redford) into the flat, who claims to be Disa's uncle. However, Ken is actually Disa's stepfather, and he is also the father of baby Jasmine. Whilst Disa was living with him and her mother, she had been the victim of his sexual abuse and rape, which had left her pregnant and driven her onto the streets. In an attempt to get Disa back within his power, Ken kidnaps Jasmine, leaving Disa frantic with worry. With the help of the police, Dot manages to trap him. Ken is arrested and imprisoned, and the baby is returned to Disa unharmed.

Disa refuses to admit to the sexual abuse she has been subjected to, even when she is told that Ken would be imprisoned for a long time if she did. However, she does confide in Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) through the Samaritans. Kathy helps Disa to find the courage to tell her mother, Sandra, that Ken had forced both her and her younger half sister to have sex with him, and that he was the father of her child. Sandra refuses to believe her daughter's horrific tale at first. She hits Disa and accuses her of lying, before breaking down and accepting the truth. Sandra makes Disa visit Ken in prison so she can see his response to her accusations. While there, a repulsed Disa confronts Ken about the sexual abuse she had endured since the age of 12. Disgusted, Sandra informs Ken that she and her children will be testifying to this in court, to ensure that he is locked away for a very long time. Sandra then takes Disa and Jasmine back up north to live with her. Disa's last appearance is in February 1991.