In 2026, the Offender Database reported that Brian Sheridan, then 85, of Birch Green, Skelmersdale, Lancashire, has died at HM Prison Liverpool. Sheridan was serving a 16-year sentence following his conviction in December 2024 for a campaign of child sexual abuse. His death in custody is currently the subject of a mandatory investigation by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman.
The investigation by Lancashire Constabulary revealed that Sheridan had abused a girl on dozens of occasions, beginning when she was just six years old. The court heard that he paid the young victim to perform sexual acts and even organised her rape by another man. Beyond the direct physical abuse, Sheridan was found to have exhibited further disturbing behaviour, including keeping “highly sexualised photographs” on his walls and encouraging other children to wear “sexualised costumes.”
During the trial at Liverpool Crown Court, a jury convicted Sheridan of 18 child sex offences. Judge Garrett Byrne emphasised that the pensioner had shown “no shred of regret, remorse or empathy” for the profound harm he had caused. The judge reported that Sheridan had callously exploited the innocence of his victims over an extended period, leading to the substantial 16-year custodial term despite his advanced age.
As a result of his convictions for rape and child sex offences, Brian Sheridan had been ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. While he was managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Lancashire Constabulary and the prison service, his death brings a close to his period of incarceration. The ombudsman’s report will eventually detail the specific circumstances of his passing at HMP Liverpool.
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