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Two people to face charges over a photograph taken in mortuary of Emiliano Sala

  /  autty

Two people are to face charges over a photograph taken in a mortuary of footballer Emiliano Sala that was posted on social media.

The image, which was uploaded to Twitter, allegedly showed the Argentinian striker's remains at the Holly Tree Lodge mortuary in Bournemouth, Dorset.

Wiltshire Police said Sherry Bray, 48, of Corsham, Wiltshire, is facing three counts of computer misuse, perverting the course of justice and sending an indecent/offensive message.

Christopher Ashford, 62, of Calne, Wiltshire is facing charges in relation to six counts of computer misuse.

Both will appear at Swindon Magistrates' Court on July 10.

Sala's body was taken to the mortuary in February after it was recovered from the wreckage of a Piper Malibu plane that crashed in the English Channel.

The 28-year-old's body was taken to Holly Tree Lodge mortuary in Bournemouth, Dorset, after it was found in the English Channel on February 6

He was flying to Cardiff following his transfer from French side Nantes when the plane, piloted by David Ibbotson, came down in January.

An inquest into the footballer's death in Dorset on February 11 opened and adjourned after hearing how a post-mortem confirmed Sala died from 'head and trunk' injuries.

They were caused by the impact of his light aircraft plunging into the Channel. The striker was identified by fingerprints.

Anthony Johns, senior lawyer for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Following a careful review of the evidence provided to me by Wiltshire Police, I have authorised the police to summons Sherry Bray to appear in court where she will be formally charged with three offences of computer misuse, perverting the course of public justice and sending an indecent/offensive message.

'I have also authorised Wiltshire Police to summons Christopher Ashford to appear in court where he will be formally charged with six offences of computer misuse.'

An accident report found Mr Ibbotson, who also died in the crash, descended sharply four times telling air traffic control he was struggling with visibility.

The Piper Malibu aircraft N264DB on the tarmac in Nantes, France, that crashed in the English Channel carrying footballer Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson en route to Cardiff

Still from handout video issued by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch showing the wreckage of the plane which crashed into the Channel on January 21 killing Emiliano Sala

Exactly 24 seconds before the fatal crash he plunged from 4,000ft to 1,600ft then desperately tried and failed to 'climb rapidly' before hitting the water.

The AAIB said it needs to carry out more investigations to find the cause of the crash but have already found that the plane failed to fly on a straight path between France and Wales.

The AAIB also found in its preliminary report in February that pilot Mr Ibbotson was not licensed to fly fee-paying passengers and the plane itself was not registered to undertake commercial flights.

Records have since shown that Mr Ibbotson was also not licensed to fly at night.

Sala died in January just days after completing a £15million move from Nantes (pictured during a game on January 8) to Cardiff football club

In a documentary that aired last month, Sala's father Horacio Sala - who died in April just weeks after it was filmed - accused Cardiff City of 'abandoning' his son.

He said: 'With all the money that had been paid for him, why was it so hard for them to find something safe?

'Why couldn't they? But they left him alone. They left him like a dog. They left him, they abandoned him.'

Sala's mother Mercedes Taffarel is also part of the documentary and she added: 'I keep thinking he's going to call, but no.'

A Cardiff statement, provided in response to the BBC documentary, read: 'Cardiff City has been working with the appropriate parties to ensure that the Sala family is taken care of - as a matter of principle.'

His death sparked an outpouring of grief and tributes (pictured) were left in Nantes

Related: E.Sala