NICOLA SHERLOCK FROM WISHAW FACES JAIL OVER ABUSE OF TWO BOYS IN LANARKSHIRE
| Red Rose Database
Wishaw Child Sexual Abuser
In February 2023, a disturbing case emerged from Lanarkshire involving Nicola Sherlock, a 35-year-old woman from Wishaw, who is now facing potential imprisonment after a series of heinous acts committed against two young boys over a span of three years.
The victims, whose identities are protected by law, were between the ages of three and eight at the time of the abuse. Their testimonies, along with police investigations, revealed a pattern of terrifying and abusive behavior carried out by Sherlock in various properties located within Wishaw.
One of the boys, who was between three and seven years old during the period of his victimization, recounted to officers that Sherlock had repeatedly threatened him with a knife, pressing the blade against his neck in a menacing manner. He also described instances where Sherlock struck him on his backside, inflicting physical pain. The young boy further disclosed that he had witnessed Sherlock herself holding a knife to her own throat and threatening to take her own life, an act that left him visibly frightened and distressed.
The second boy, aged between four and eight during the incidents, provided similar accounts. He detailed how Sherlock had forcefully inserted soap into his mouth on multiple occasions and also physically assaulted him by striking his backside. These repeated acts of abuse created a climate of fear and confusion for the young victims.
Despite the serious allegations, Sherlock, of Wishaw, denied all accusations against her. She stood trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court, where a jury deliberated for four hours before convicting her of acting in a threatening or abusive manner, as well as two counts of assault, covering the period from September 2015 to May 2018. Notably, charges alleging that Sherlock had coerced the boys into participating in sexual activities between January and May 2018 were not proven and therefore dismissed.
During the trial, video interviews with the boys were presented as evidence, revealing their detailed accounts of the abuse they endured. One of the boys described feeling 'scared' when Sherlock turned a blade on herself, recounting, “She was cutting onions in the kitchen and said, ‘I’m going to kill myself,’ and it made me feel scared. It was a big knife.”
Prosecutor Abby Seal urged the jury to find Sherlock guilty, emphasizing the credibility of the children's testimonies. She argued, “Where would these very young children get these things from unless they happened? There has been no evidence that these children were told to make things up, no evidence whatsoever. The accused’s position was that the children were mistaken and lying, but she did not explain how they could be mistaken. The reason is that the children’s accounts are truthful and accurate.”
At the conclusion of the trial, Sheriff Andrew McIntyre deferred sentencing for Sherlock, who is a first-time offender, until next month. He also continued her bail, pending the preparation of reports to determine her future legal consequences.
The victims, whose identities are protected by law, were between the ages of three and eight at the time of the abuse. Their testimonies, along with police investigations, revealed a pattern of terrifying and abusive behavior carried out by Sherlock in various properties located within Wishaw.
One of the boys, who was between three and seven years old during the period of his victimization, recounted to officers that Sherlock had repeatedly threatened him with a knife, pressing the blade against his neck in a menacing manner. He also described instances where Sherlock struck him on his backside, inflicting physical pain. The young boy further disclosed that he had witnessed Sherlock herself holding a knife to her own throat and threatening to take her own life, an act that left him visibly frightened and distressed.
The second boy, aged between four and eight during the incidents, provided similar accounts. He detailed how Sherlock had forcefully inserted soap into his mouth on multiple occasions and also physically assaulted him by striking his backside. These repeated acts of abuse created a climate of fear and confusion for the young victims.
Despite the serious allegations, Sherlock, of Wishaw, denied all accusations against her. She stood trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court, where a jury deliberated for four hours before convicting her of acting in a threatening or abusive manner, as well as two counts of assault, covering the period from September 2015 to May 2018. Notably, charges alleging that Sherlock had coerced the boys into participating in sexual activities between January and May 2018 were not proven and therefore dismissed.
During the trial, video interviews with the boys were presented as evidence, revealing their detailed accounts of the abuse they endured. One of the boys described feeling 'scared' when Sherlock turned a blade on herself, recounting, “She was cutting onions in the kitchen and said, ‘I’m going to kill myself,’ and it made me feel scared. It was a big knife.”
Prosecutor Abby Seal urged the jury to find Sherlock guilty, emphasizing the credibility of the children's testimonies. She argued, “Where would these very young children get these things from unless they happened? There has been no evidence that these children were told to make things up, no evidence whatsoever. The accused’s position was that the children were mistaken and lying, but she did not explain how they could be mistaken. The reason is that the children’s accounts are truthful and accurate.”
At the conclusion of the trial, Sheriff Andrew McIntyre deferred sentencing for Sherlock, who is a first-time offender, until next month. He also continued her bail, pending the preparation of reports to determine her future legal consequences.