A murderer in Yeovil Somerset filmed himself after committing his crime
Matthew Sheridan from South Petherton clearly thought he was ‘clever’ after he murdered an innocent man in Yeovil.
A Jury heard this week how Sheridan took a knife to innocent 40-year-old Louis Bednall, a father of five from South Devon.
Mr Bednall had travelled to the small Somerset town of Yeovil to visit friends.
Unbeknown to him, he was visiting friends in the same block of flats in Hendford Hill where Sheridan had spent the night drinking and taking drugs with the tenant of an upstairs room.
Whilst Mr Bednall and his pals headed to the local Tesco to collect some late-night food, drugged up Sheridan broke into the friends flat and stole a full bottle of vodka.
A confrontation started on returning to the flat and realising that the drugged-up Sheridan, known as ‘Manic’ to his low life friends, had stolen the bottle.
The group had returned from Tesco to find Sheridan with the bottle in the hallway, and an argument started.
Both parties then retreated to separate flats, but 20 minutes later, after filming himself on Snapchat, Sheridan went on the warpath armed with a knife and returned to the flat where Mr Bednall and friends were relaxing.
The jury saw footage showing him checking that it was in his back pocket and not visible before he went into Room 4 and stabbed Mr Bednall in an attack that took less than 45 seconds, butchering him to death with relentless stabbings to the head and neck.
Sheridan and his friend then took back to the camera to film themselves, recording a bizarre series of gangsta rap style Snapchat clips in which they bared their chests and boasted about how hard they were and told viewers why they shouldn’t be messed with.
The video footage obtained by Global247news below shows the before and after of the attack and the calmness of the pair as the police arrive to arrest them.
In court this week Sheridan attempted to convince the jury it was his friend who had committed the crime, although three witnesses and friends of murdered Bednall told the jury otherwise.
After being convicted yesterday at Exeter Crown Court by the Jury in just 90 minutes, finding the knifeman guilty of murder,
Senior Investigating Officer DCI Phil Walker, of the Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “This man carried out a relentless and savage attack on Louis Bednall in front of his friends.
“The level of explosive violence he used in those moments beggars belief.
“Afterwards, he returned to his friend’s flat and recorded a series of videos which were posted on social media.
“A further video, which was not posted, depicts a man who was callous and remorseless in the aftermath of the horrific act he had just committed.
“He has refused to take any responsibility for his actions, instead trying to blame someone else and repeatedly telling lies in a vain attempt to evade justice.
“A significant investigation was carried out resulting in 200 hours of CCTV camera footage being viewed, 231 statements taken and 611 exhibits seized.
“Louis was a loving and caring family man.
“A father and grandfather who went out of his way to help others and made friends wherever he went; his death leaves a huge gap in the lives of many.
“It was Louis’ determination to diffuse a situation and protect the friends he was visiting that has sadly cost him his life.
“I would like to thank my team for their hard work, dedication and professionalism over the last eight months to see justice served.
“Louis has been at the centre of our thoughts throughout our investigation.
“Finally I would like to again offer my sincere condolences to Louis’ family who have had to sit and listen to repeated lies and some very disturbing evidence throughout the trial.
“They have held themselves with grace and dignity throughout, showing a united strength that is beyond comprehension in such horrendous circumstances.
“I hope that today’s verdict helps them to feel a sense of justice but I am acutely aware that this does not come close to filling the gap they all feel in their hearts.
“Our thoughts remain with them.”
Sheridan will be sentenced today by the judge at Exeter Crown Court.