CONVICTED (2021) | Niall S Sheridan, born 14 May 1999, with a most recent known address of Lothian Street, Bonnyrigg EH19 3AE but with links to the towns of Loanhead, Lasswade and Gorebridge, Midlothian – tortured and killed a hedgehog by stamping on her, stabbing her with a knife and striking her with a pool cue.
Sheridan also played football with the female creature in the corridor of his homeless accommodation in Midlothian and hit her with a ‘wet floor’ cone.
He used a knife to stab the hedgehog around ten times during the harrowing incident caught on CCTV.
As Sheridan laughed and joked with another man and filmed the abuse on his mobile phone, the hedgehog suffered an agonising 20 minute ordeal.
Police were called by concerned staff at the Kilbreck House homeless unit and officers were forced to restrain Sheridan using handcuffs, leg restraints and a spit hood.
The court heard he shouted threats including saying he would “slit their throats” and “harm their families”.
A postmortem conducted by a vet found the hedgehog likely endured “significant and unnecessary pain and suffering” as death wasn’t instantaneous.
The thug pleaded guilty to a number of charges including causing a protected animal unnecessary suffering before killing it on July 12, 2021.
Sheridan also pleaded guilty to charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, knife possession, and making threats of violence to police.
Sheridan’s lawyer, David Storrie, told the court his client was high on a mixture of drink and drugs at the time.
The court heard he had consumed an “alarming amount of vodka and Buckfast” as well as Valium before the incident.
Storrie added that Sheridan is now clean of drugs due to being on remand and the period of custody has “done him the power of good”.
But Sheriff Daniel Kelly told Sheridan he had committed a “cruel and prolonged” attack on the animal and had “caused significant injuries and ultimately its death”.
He added: “It does have to be recognised that this was horrific, and a horrific way to treat an animal.
“You were admitted to Kilbreck House and you did go out and return with the hedgehog so there is some intent there.”
Sentencing: jailed for 20 months and banned from owning or keeping any animal for the next 10 years.
This is a highly mentally disturbed sad young individual.
There is no excuse of blaming drink and drugs, for what he did to a defenceless little Hedgehog.
He is obviously not safe around anyone or anything.
He won’t have no luck for what he has done.
Sadly he’s out of jail and people in the local area friends of his before this happened seem to be brushing it under the carpet in my eyes he’s just as bad as a beast
Ah yes, Buckfast the staple breakfast for your average Scottish junkie.