Sex offender jailed for AI 'nudifying' children's photos repeatedly allowed to return home near victims

A sex offender jailed for taking thousands of pictures of children and using AI software to "nudify" them was repeatedly allowed to return to his home overlooking the playground he targeted.

It meant victims of Zafer Dogan, from Enfield in north London, were living close to the 32-year-old, who admitted multiple offences.

Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley spoke outside Wood Green Crown Court after Dogan was jailed for two years and four months, where Sir Mark criticised the "unfathomable decisions" of the justice system.

"The children should be put first, not the paedophile," he said.

Dogan, who works as a mechanic, previously pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including making indecent images of children.

According to the police, he had taken more than 5,000 pictures, many from his bedroom window.

The mother of a victim under the age of eight described feeling "helpless", adding: "Our lives will never be the same again and I can't do anything about it all because one man exploited my child."

The mother of a teenage victim said it was as if she had been "punched in the gut" when police officers told her what had happened.

She added: "I'm really worried that my daughter's photos are online and other paedophiles have them."

Sir Mark said: "Prosecutors rightly opposed bail on multiple occasions, building on officers' clear assessments of the great risk he posed, and yet bail decisions were ultimately made that prioritised the offender's interests over the safety and the peace of mind of the victims.

"A victim and their family found themselves living in close proximity to a man who had admitted targeting them.

"They were so fearful, they ultimately felt forced to move to distant temporary accommodation, disrupting their lives and disrupting their children's lives, simply to escape being in the neighbourhood of the offender."

He also criticised "some grossly irresponsible technology and AI companies".

He said: "Dogan voyeuristically photographed children known to him before using an AI photo-editing technology to manipulate those images for his own sexual gratification. Companies must do more to prevent their platforms and tools from being used to facilitate sexual offending and harm.

"Innovation cannot come at the expense of public safety, and industry has a clear responsibility to help prevent these technologies being exploited by predators.

"Victims, in this case extremely young children and their families, deserve better from both the tech companies and the criminal justice system."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to [email protected], external