A MAN has been jailed for making and producing indecent images of children while staying in Salisbury.

Michael Ashburn, of Wellington Road, Lozells and East Handsworth in Birmingham, was sentenced to 44 months behind bars at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday (April 23).

The offences relate to incidents in February and in March, 2022, when indecent images of children were found on Ashburn’s phone.

When officers arrested the 31-year-old on November 16, 2022, he spat in an officer’s face and was imprisoned for a week for assaulting an emergency worker.

Ashburn was also charged with engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

He was sentenced to 44 months imprisonment, a 20 years Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was put on the Sex Offenders register for life.

Detective Constable Julia Vince, from the Child Internet Exploitation Team said: “Ashburn went to great lengths to seek out, create and share the most abhorrent images of children.

“He is a devious and manipulative individual, who hid his activities from those closest to him. Every child that appeared in those images is a victim of sexual violence and the trauma caused cannot be underestimated.

“Ashburn is now behind bars where he can cause no further harm, and will be subject to a 20 years Sexual Harm Prevention Order and the Sex Offenders register for life which will severely limit his ability to re-offend once released.”

DC Vince added: “The Wiltshire Police Child Internet Exploitation Team are dedicated to identify and bring to justice those who seek to harm children through their online activities for their own sexual gratification.”

If you are a victim of child abuse, or worried for the safety or well-being of a child, visit wiltshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/caa/child-abuse/how-to-report-possible-child-abuse.