Man made 'depraved' images of children using AI

A man used artificial intelligence (AI) to generate hundreds of indecent images of children, police have said.

Nottinghamshire Police said Thomas Rowley, was found to have more than 1,900 images on his computer and phone, including 882 category A pictures showing the most severe kinds of abuse.

They were a mix of images generated by AI based on Rowley's prompts and indecent images downloaded from the internet, the force said.

The 43-year-old, of Old School Lane, Creswell, Derbyshire, was given a 15-month prison term, suspended for two years, when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday.

Rowley had pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent pseudo-photographs of children at a previous hearing.

He had also admitted being in possession of 21 prohibited images of children when he was arrested last year.

Police said the offences happened between 9 January 2021 and 9 January 2024.

PC Summer Smith, from the force's public protection unit, said: "This depraved act involving the use of AI is treated just as severely as using actual photographs.

"Offenders who are thinking of engaging with this type of activity will be caught and face the full consequences of their actions."

Rowley was also made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order that will restrict his online activities and require the offender to register any devices he uses with the police.

His name will also remain on the sex offender register for 10 years.

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