Hugh Nelson used a computer programme and AI technology to alter photographs of real children to create sexual abuse images, according to the Crown Prosecution Service. He also encouraged the rape of children under 13 via internet chatrooms. Nelson pleaded guilty to 16 charges relating to child sexual abuse offences and was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment with an additional six years on extended licence. He made around £5,000 from selling the AI-generated images over 18 months, the CPS said.
In a separate US case, Cody L. Prater was convicted of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material and AI-generated images of child sexual abuse, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Prater faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The case underscores the increasing use of AI to produce exploitative content.
Anthony Wickham, a 67-year-old pensioner, filmed up women's skirts by strapping a phone to his shoe, Maidstone Crown Court heard. He admitted recording an image beneath clothing to observe another without consent, installing equipment with intent to observe a private act for sexual gratification, and possessing indecent images of children. The court described him as "unhappy, isolated, lonely and sexually frustrated".
Dylan Dawes, a former BBC producer, was found guilty of downloading more than 6,000 child abuse images, Cardiff Crown Court confirmed. Dawes denied having a sexual interest in children and claimed someone else may have used his devices. He worked with presenters including Jason Mohammad and Rhod Gilbert, according to multiple reports. Dawes was arrested in 2022 after police searched his home and found indecent images on four devices. He was found guilty of three counts of possessing an indecent image of a child and three counts of making an indecent image of a child. He will be sentenced on May 14.
unhappy, isolated, lonely and sexually frustrated
In Sweden, a woman's ex-husband was convicted of child pornography offenses and photographing their child and the child's friend in a sexually exploitative manner, according to Uppdrag granskning. He received a suspended sentence and a fine of 2,500 kronor, with the fine reduced due to the long investigation time. The specific charges beyond child pornography were not detailed.
Another Swedish case involved a man in his 60s who was sentenced to one year in prison for spreading AI-generated pornographic images of sports journalist Karin Frick, Expressen reported. The 60-year-old sent the images to the woman's relatives, according to multiple reports. A 20-year-old man was also sentenced in connection with the case, though the exact sentence was not specified. The man lost his job due to the charges, sources said. The relationship between the 60-year-old and the journalist remains unclear.
In Australia, a 68-year-old man on the Central Coast was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment with a non-parole period of nine months for possessing child abuse material, the Australian Federal Police said. He possessed 2,256 files of child abuse material, including 102 videos and 2,154 images.
William Single was sentenced to 70 months in prison for possessing child pornography, the U.S. District Court ruled. He possessed more than 600 images of child pornography and traded child pornography with a person in New Jersey. Single was ordered to pay $10,000 restitution to one victim and must register as a sex offender.
The specific AI tools used in the cases involving AI-generated images have not been disclosed. The total number of victims across all cases remains unknown. The exact sentence for the 20-year-old man in the Swedish case was not specified.