Belfast, Northern Ireland – Four men involved in a vicious and horrifying attack and abduction in Ballymena in 2021 have been handed down their sentences. David Cherry, Glen Sheridan, Mark Bradshaw, and Sean Davies appeared in Belfast Crown Court to face the consequences of their actions.
Cherry, aged 41, received a 62-month sentence after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm and kidnapping. Sheridan, aged 45, who also pleaded guilty to kidnapping, was sentenced to 57 months. Bradshaw, aged 53, faced a 67-month sentence for his role in the kidnapping. Davies, aged 41, who pleaded guilty to arson, was sentenced to 28 months.
The attack on the victim occurred on October 11, 2021, in a house in Ballymena and was described as one of the most violent and cruel acts investigated by Detective Inspector McCoy. The victim endured a prolonged assault, including severe beatings, being forced to strip down to his boxer shorts, and having to clean up his own blood with his clothes. He was also stabbed in the chest and slashed on the face while defenseless on the floor.
Throughout the nightmarish ordeal, the victim was continuously kicked and forced to wipe up blood as the defendants callously laughed. Eventually, the victim was transported by car and abandoned in a field near Broughshane, where he was later discovered unconscious and wearing only boxer shorts. Subsequently, the victim’s car was found burned on the outskirts of Ballymena.
The victim, who sustained a myriad of injuries, including stab wounds, a fractured and detached jaw, facial and mouth injuries, as well as permanent nerve and brain damage, remained in intensive care for weeks. Despite the lengthy investigation and the eventual accountability of the perpetrators, the irreversible impact of the brutal attack on both the victim and their family is a harsh reality acknowledged by Detective Inspector McCoy.
The defendants’ sentencing marks a step towards justice for the victim, but the emotional and physical trauma inflicted on him will leave lasting scars. The heinousness of the attack serves as a reminder of the profound consequences of senseless violence and calls for continued efforts to prevent such atrocities in the future.