Mechanic sentenced for AI-generated child abuse images after controversial bail

Zafer Dogan, a 32-year-old mechanic, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of creating indecent images of children, some of which were generated using artificial-intelligence software. Prosecutors revealed that he had captured over 5,000 photographs from his bedroom window that faced a playground and later altered images of two children, aged seven and 13, as well as dozens of adult women.

Despite repeated objections from the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, the courts repeatedly granted him bail at the same address, prompting criticism from senior officers. At sentencing, the head of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, emphasized the need to prioritize victims over offenders. Victim impact statements from the mothers of the child victims highlighted profound distress and concerns about the images circulating online.