AN artist who poured black ink over a gallery exhibit of a dead sheep

by the controversial artist Damien Hirst was convicted yesterday of

causing criminal damage.

Mark Bridger, 35, poured the ink in ''an act of inspiration'' over the

white sheep pickled in formaldehyde while it was on display at London's

Serpentine Gallery.

It cost #1000 to remove the ink from the #25,000 exhibit, entitled

Away from the Flock '94.

Bridger, of Honeywood House, Shotover Hill, Oxford, had denied causing

criminal damage, arguing that what he did constituted an artistic act.

He told Bow Street magistrates that he had been inspired by ''the idea

of changing it and calling it 'A Black Sheep'.''

He said of Mr Hirst's work: ''The art is there for the creation of

awareness. So I thought that he wouldn't, in effect, be against my

breach of convention.''

The magistrates found him guilty, but conditionally discharged him for

two years. No order for compensation was made due to Bridger's

''insufficient means''.

Mr Chuck Nduka-Eze, prosecuting, had suggested Bridger acted out of

jealousy in pouring the ink on the sheep and intended to draw attention

to himself.

Mr Howard Wilson, defending, said: ''The action of putting the ink

into the tank did not alter its value. The item was sold for #25,000.''

He argued that for the act to be criminal damage it had to affect the

value or ''the performance'' of the property.