SALISBURY man Craig Arrowsmith has been handed a suspended prison sentence after attempting to groom a 15-year-old girl.

Arrowsmith, of Hoadley Green, Salisbury, appeared at Salisbury Crown Court yesterday (September 1) after pleading guilty to sexual communication with a child, making indecent images of children and four counts of possession of extreme pornography, namely bestiality.

The 48-year-old was jailed for 12 months, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, pay compensation of £500 and complete up to 35 days of rehabilitation activity days. He will also be required to sign on to the sex offender’s register for 10 years.

The charges came after police received a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) referral from the victim’s school in January last year, raising concerns the victim was receiving inappropriate messages from Arrowsmith.

Arrowsmith was arrested and bailed and an examination of his phone revealed that between March 2023 and January 2024, Arrowsmith repeatedly messaged the victim, a 15-year-old girl, on a social media platform, many of which were sexual in nature.

Four videos featuring bestiality were also found on his phone, as well as a total of 245 category C indecent images, all of which related to superimposed photos of the victim.

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After the sentencing, DC Louise Butler, of the Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “Firstly, I would like to thank the victim for her bravery throughout the case.

“Her courage in speaking with us and giving a video recorded interview has led to Arrowsmith being sentenced yesterday.

“Arrowsmith’s crimes are abhorrent. Despite knowing the victim was only 15 years old, he continued to message her in a sexual manner and used photos of her to impose her face onto an AI-generated female’s naked body.

“He has now been sentenced and will be on the Sex Offender’s Register for the next decade.”

Anyone who suspects a person of carrying out child sexual exploitation, or thinks someone they know has been a victim or may be soon, can contact police on 101.