BREAKING NEWSDeepfake monster who used AI to make horrific indecent images of real children is jailed for 18 years - as chilling moment he admitted to having 'warped' mind is revealed
A budding filmmaker who used AI to make horrific indecent images of real children was today jailed for 18 years - as footage emerged of him admitting to having a warped mind.
A budding filmmaker who used AI to make horrific indecent images of real children was today jailed for 18 years - as footage emerged of him admitting to having a warped mind.
Former Masters student Hugh Nelson confessed to detectives that his actions had been absolutely grotesque after being confronted with evidence about his sick deepfake factory.
In a landmark case which specialist prosecutors today warn is the tip of the iceberg, the 27-year-old was exposed after one of his clients turned out to be an undercover police officer.
Operating from his family home near Bolton, Nelson used AI technology to manipulate innocent photographs of real children into scenes of nudity, rape and torture.
In one vile message he boasted to the officer that images he had created included beatings, smotherings, hangings, drownings, beheadings, necro, beast, the list goes on – accompanied by a laughing emoji.
Hugh Nelson confessing to detectives after using AI to make horrific indecent images of real children
The 27-year-old was exposed after one of his clients turned out to be an undercover police officer
Nelson has been jailed for 18 years in a landmark case targeting sex abusers
Now the team which secured Nelsons conviction – believed to be the first of its kind in the UK – has warned that child abusers are increasingly exploiting rapid advances in artificial intelligence.
It comes after researchers from the respected Internet Watch Foundation found 3,512 images of child sex abuse made using AI on a dark web forum in a 30-day period.
Its CEO Susie Hargreaves is calling on governments and the tech industry to work together on proper controls to stop the technology being used to provide a playground for online predators to realise their most perverse and sickening fantasies.
In clips from his police interviews released today, Nelson can be heard saying: Its sick how much it affects your mind, especially when you have no job, you sit at home, play games, watch porn, and make these stupid f****** God damn images.
My mind is very corrupted and warped.
Nelson also says: I fell into this this pit of despair and absolute grotesque behaviour, and it just spiralled and just got worse.
In another the paedophile admits: I am sexually attracted to kids.
He also confesses: Ive been completely swept up in it, its taken over my life.
While still a teenager, Nelson was selected to take part in a film-making academy run by the British Film Institute.
He also did work experience on the Jeremy Kyle Shows sound department, according to his Instagram page.
He graduated from Salford University with a first-class degree in professional sound and video technology before studying for an MA wildlife documentary production, according to his website.
Nelson exploited his skills to manipulate innocent photographs of real children into deepfake scenes of nudity, rape and torture
Nelson also exchanged messages in chatrooms that were capable of encouraging the rape of children
But in a vile sideline he used widely available AI technology to turn photographs of real children into scenes of physical and sexual abuse before selling the images online, making around £5,000.
Nelson swapped messages with paedophiles in France, Italy and the US and created indecent images of children for them - some purporting to be their young relatives – for £80 per character.
He also discussed carrying out depraved child sexual abuse, although no evidence has been found that any children had actually been sexually abused.
And he exchanged messages in chatrooms that were capable of encouraging the rape of children, Bolton Crown Court heard last week.
Nelson used a popular virtual modelling program called Daz 3D to create explicit computer-generated images plus an AI plug-in to add the faces of real children.
He was arrested in June 2023 when a large quantity of indecent images were found on his devices at his family home in of Egerton, near Bolton.
They included 808 Category A - the worst type - 424 Category B and 456 Category C.
He pleaded guilty at earlier hearings to 16 charges, including three counts of intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of the rape of a child under 13, ten counts of either making or distributing indecent images and one count of attempting to cause a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity.
He also pleaded guilty to publishing an obscene article and one count of possessing prohibited images of children.
Robert Elias, defending, described Nelson as a shy, gauche man who had plunged down a rabbit hole into a fantasy life.
Afterwards Jeanette Smith, specialist prosecutor for the CPSs organised child sexual abuse unit, said lessons learnt from investigating Nelson would be used to track down other abusers who exploit the darker frontiers of artificial intelligence.
I think it is the tip of the iceberg, she told Mail Online.
I think as technology evolves, so there will be more cases like this.
But people like Hugh Nelson who think they can hide in encrypted chat rooms need to think again.
The police do have the capability to find them, and we will robustly prosecute them and make sure theyre brought to justice.
The paedophile used widely available AI technology to turn photographs of real children into scenes of physical and sexual abuse before selling the images online, making around £5,000
She added that anyone who believed that creating computer-generated images of child abuse was a less serious offence was absolutely wrong.
The legislation applies just as equally to real photographs as it does to computer-generated images.
DCI Jen Tattersall of Greater Manchester Polices Online Child Abuse Investigation Team said it was a landmark case.
She added: He is a significantly depraved individual, because not only was he creating indecent photographs of children using software, but he was inciting offences against vulnerable children.
Greater Manchester Police have also passed on intelligence about suspects based in France, Italy and the US to the authorities there.
However they are not aware of whether any of the children whose images were used by Nelson were physically abused.