A Wem youth who asked young girls to send him photos of themselves undressed or naked has been given custody.

Cian Creagh had also threatened to post the images on social media if the girls did not send him more explicit material.

Despite being bailed the 19-year-old had continued contacting other teenage girls, described as 'a worrying escalation of his behaviour'.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court, Creagh was sentenced to 28 months at a Young Offenders Institution, placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Creagh, of Fothergill Way, Wem, had admitted 13 counts of sexual communication with a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of distributing images.

Passing sentence Judge Anthony Lowe said there was concern about the defendant's lack of remorse and the worrying escalation of his offending after he had been first bailed by police.

"That seemed to prompt an inexplicable escalation in your behaviour," he said.

"You used threats to demand more explicit images," he added.

The court heard the offences happened in 2017 and 2018 when Creagh set up social media accounts under pseudonyms and befriended and messaged girls.

Jo Maxwell, prosecuting said girls were aged between 11 and 15, although Creagh believed the youngest was 13, and he sent sexual messages and asked the girls for pictures of themselves in their underwear or topless.

After complaints, police tracked Creagh to his address, removed his electronic equipment and bailed him while investigating the allegations.

However Creagh had been able to gain access to a computer tablet and continued to contact young girls.

Ms Maxwell said two girls sent him photos but he had then told them they had to send explicit photos and videos or he would post their pictures publicly.

He also told one of the girls he wanted to meet with her but eventually she told her mother after being distressed and unable to sleep.

Myrie Curtis, for Creagh, said his client has spent four months on remand and had been addressing his problems.