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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Megan White

Emiliano Sala: Two people facing jail after admitting accessing CCTV footage of footballer's post-mortem examination

The image allegedly showed the remains of footballer Emiliano Sala at the Holly Tree Lodge mortuary in Bournemouth. (Picture: PA)

Two people have admitted accessing CCTV footage of the post-mortem examination of footballer Emiliano Sala.

Christopher Ashford, 62, and Sherry Bray, 48, were accused of illegally accessing CCTV at Bournemouth Mortuary and replaying a post-mortem of the Cardiff City footballer.

They are facing jail after admitting the offences at Swindon Crown Court on Friday.

Mr Sala, 28, had just signed for Cardiff City when the plane he was travelling in crashed into the English Channel, north of Guernsey, on January 21.

Emiliano Sala died on January 21

His body was recovered on February 6 and a post-mortem examination took place at Bournemouth Mortuary the following day.

Mr Ashford, of Calne, admitted three counts of securing unauthorised access to computer material between February 9 and 11 this year.

Ms Bray, of Corsham, admitted three counts of securing unauthorised access to computer material between April last year and February this year.

She also admitted perverting the course of public justice by instructing Ashford to "delete your pics" on February 12, and the next day deleting the post-mortem cameras from the live feed camera facility and deleting the post-mortem image of Sala from her mobile phone.

Mr Ashford is said to have accessed the CCTV three times - February 9, 10 and 11 at 1.26am and 9.35pm.

Ms Bray is said to have "operated the closed circuit television equipment at the Bournemouth Mortuary and thereby caused the post-mortem of Emiliano Sala to be recorded by using the live view camera facility" on February 7.

Judge Peter Crabtree warned the pair that the starting point for sentence was custody.

The pair were released on bail to appear at the same court on September 20.

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