Man who used AI to create CSAM jailed for 18 years

Hugh Nelson, 27, from Bolton, England, was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment after using AI to transform photos of real children into child sexual abuse imagery. He was commissioned to make the images by others and made about £5,000 (~$6,500) selling them.

In the first prosecution of its kind in the UK, Hugh Nelson, 27, from Bolton, was convicted of 16 child sexual abuse offences in August, after an investigation by Greater Manchester police (GMP).

Nelson had used Daz 3D, a computer programme with an AI function, to transform "normal" images of children into sexual abuse imagery, Greater Manchester police said. In some cases, paedophiles had commissioned the images, supplying photographs of children with whom they had contact in real life.

He was also found guilty of encouraging other offenders to commit rape.

We can barely jail anyone for actually raping people, yet have spectacular custodial sentences for adjacent criminal speech and incitements against which "no evidence has been found that any children had actually been sexually abused." That said, it must be pointed out (and some tabloid items conspiciously omit this fact) that one of Nelson's convictions was for attempting to incite a boy under 16 to engage in a sexual act.

Greater Manchester Police also found it necessary to correct a media assumption about Nelson's crimes.

"Hugh Nelson was offending on the 'clean web', not the dark web, as is often the misconception with online sexual offending. It is important that parents are aware of cases like these so they can educate themselves on emerging threats posed online and take appropriate action to protect and safeguard their children from harm. The internet should be a safe space for all, but sadly there are perverse individuals out there looking to exploit those who are vulnerable or encourage others into criminal behaviour.