Is there a slang word or phrase for someone who is always playing dirty tricks or unpleasant practical jokes on his friends and acquaintances?

context:

• He will surreptitiously introduce a frog into your handbag.
• You leave your car keys on a desk, he sees it and hides it somewhere.
• He may offer you M&M type candies that will leave your mouth entirely blue.

Although most of us would call this person "a jerk", "an asshole", "a creep", or "an s.o.b.", all these terms are generic and not specific for "one who plays dirty and unpleasant tricks".

I'm not looking for lists. One word or phrase will be enough provided there is a reference link.

Solution 1:

The following, although not slang, may be relevant:

• practical joker, “someone who instigates practical jokes” – wiktionary
• prankster, “One who performs pranks” – wiktionary
• trickster, “One who performs a trick”; also “A mythological figure responsible for teaching others through the use of guile and treason” – wiktionary

Wikipedia's practical joke article says the following:

A practical joke (also known as a prank, gag, jape or shenanigan) is a mischievous trick or joke played on someone, generally causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion, or discomfort. Practical jokes range from confidence tricks [to] hoaxes ... Practical jokes or pranks are generally lighthearted, reversible and non-permanent, and aim to make the victim feel foolish or victimised to a degree, but may also involve cruelty verging on bullying if performed without appropriate finesse. [emph. added]

Solution 2:

The slang term troll seems to be acquiring this meaning.

Troll has been used for a number of years to refer to a person who makes inflammatory posts in Internet forums for the purpose of annoying others or stirring up trouble. More recently, it seems to also refer to people who perpetrate real-life pranks for similar purposes. Troll seems to have a stronger connotation of mean-spiritedness than prankster or trickster.

I'm having trouble finding an authoritative citation (can anyone help?), but for example there is a website named "Art of Trolling" which collects examples of both real-life and Internet pranks.

Solution 3:

You could figuratively call that person an imp. I would quote Wikipedia, which mentions imps' affinity for pranks, but the entry is not sourced well.

Solution 4:

rascal (Merriam-Webster):

a person and especially a young person who causes trouble or does things that annoy people

Solution 5:

From the OP's detailed description, I'm inclined to believe that these jokes contain an element of maliciousness, the type of practical jokes where the victim may not spontaneously burst out laughing. The OP suggests that we call the person who performs these jokes; a jerk, a s.o.b, a creep etc. Therefore I suggest the following term

shenanigan

2. a. A playful or mischievous act; a prank.
   b. Mischief; prankishness. Often used in the plural.
   reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others

• A person who performs shenanigans.

Apparently, the term shenanigans in the US is considered slang,
and the phrase “call shenanigans” is used in some regions of the US.

Shenanigans are activities which are intended to be mischievous and playful. Pranks and jokes, for example, are both considered to be shenanigans. This term is also sometimes used to refer to deceptive activities which cause harm, irritation, or upset, and people might use the term “no shenanigans” in the sense of “no funny business,” meaning that such activities will not be tolerated. This term is especially common in the United States, which may be its country of origin, although no one is certain. [...]
The meaning of the word is also quite slippery, as it is used in a number of different ways, and its adoption as a slang term has further clouded its meaning. Curiously, people rarely use a singular form of “shenanigans.” Apparently a single shenanigan is simply unheard of. Shenanigans can have more sinister implications, however. Some people use the term to describe confidence tricks and other deceptive activities which are linked more with wrongdoing than fun times. The victims of these sorts of shenanigans may be embarrassed, humiliated, or injured, and they run the risk of losing money as well.

....

In some regions of the United States, people use the term “call shenanigans” to talk about calling someone out for questionable activity. Someone who suspected that he or she was being bilked at an auto repair shop, for example, might say “I call shenanigans,” suggesting that some sort of deceptive activity or wrongdoing might be occurring. Practical jokers may also find the tables turned on them by victims who call shenanigans, putting an end to the joke by indicating that they have seen through it.

Source: Wise Geek