WEAVERHAM MAN CHRISTOPHER ASHBROOK JAILED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING CHILDREN IN CHESTER

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Weaverham, Christopher Ashbrook has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after admitting to a series of serious sexual offences involving minors and the possession of a large collection of indecent images. The case was heard at Chester Crown Court, where Ashbrook, a 35-year-old resident of Wallerscote Road, Weaverham, pleaded guilty to multiple charges that highlight the severity of his actions.

The charges against Ashbrook included engaging in sexual activity with a child, attempting to communicate sexually with a minor, and actually engaging in such communication. Additionally, he faced three counts of making and downloading indecent images of children, along with possession of such images stored on his devices. The investigation was initiated after authorities identified Ashbrook as the individual responsible for uploading five indecent images of young boys, categorized as Category C, to the social media platform Twitter on November 11, 2017.

Following this discovery, law enforcement officers executed a warrant at Ashbrook’s residence. During the search, they seized his phone, laptops, and a tablet, uncovering a disturbing collection of digital material. The devices contained a total of 1,563 images and videos depicting children, with 110 classified as Category A, indicating the most serious type of indecency, and 85 as Category B. The evidence also revealed that Ashbrook had been actively engaging in sexual conversations with minors via Periscope, a live streaming service.

During police interviews, Ashbrook claimed that his online interactions were intended to protect children from exploitation. He stated that he had pretended to be a 14-year-old boy named Gavin in order to communicate with other minors. According to Ashbrook, his initial motivation was to prevent a boy from being exploited by predators, but he admitted that he eventually began sending sexual messages to the same individual. The situation took a darker turn when, while on bail, a 15-year-old boy came forward to authorities, alleging that Ashbrook had sexually touched him and made inappropriate sexual comments.

At the sentencing hearing on Thursday, June 20, Ashbrook was handed an 18-month prison term. In addition to his incarceration, he was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for a period of 10 years and was issued a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. The case has left the Weaverham community deeply concerned about the safety of children and the potential risks posed by individuals with such disturbing criminal histories.