Man who created computer-generated child abuse images jailed for 18 years

A shy and socially isolated man who “desperately wanted validation” when he created computer-generated indecent images of children to sell to other paedophiles has been jailed for 18 years.

Hugh Nelson, 27, of Bolton, Greater Manchester, accepted requests from individuals via online chatrooms for “bespoke” explicit images depicting children being harmed both sexually and physically.

The former student, with a Masters degree in graphics, also used images of real children for some of his computer-generated “artwork”, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Nelson frequently discussed child sexual abuse with other chatroom users and on three separate occasions encouraged the rape of children aged under 13.

He posed the highest category of risk of danger to the public, the Probation Service concluded.

His father sat in the public gallery at the court, alongside Nelson’s mother, who, head bowed, wept into the crook of her arm as their son, appearing via video link from HMP Forest Bank, was jailed.

Passing sentence, Judge Martin Walsh, Honorary Recorder of Bolton, said: “There appears to have been no limit to the depth of depravity exhibited in the images that you were prepared to create and to distribute to others.

“The nature and content of the communications which you entered into is utterly chilling.”

He ordered Nelson to also serve six years on licence after he is released from jail and he must sign the Sex Offenders Register for life.

Judge Walsh told Nelson it was impossible to say whether a child was in fact sexually abused as a result of his images but he intended to encourage others to commit child rape and had “no idea” how his images would be used.

Earlier, David Toal, prosecuting, said the case resulted from Operation Influence, an investigation into the “creation and developing trends of AI (artificial intelligence) in relation to child sexual exploitation”.

He added: “The use of AI is rapidly improving and the imagery is becoming more realistic.”

The defendant was unmasked as the administrator of a paedophile chatroom when he engaged in a conversation with an undercover officer in May last year.

Nelson told the officer he took commissions from customers for images created by 3D modelling software and went on to send computer-generated images which depicted child sexual abuse.

Mr Toal said: “The defendant said he had over 60 characters in total, ranging from six months to middle-aged, and he charged £80 to create a new character.

“He further stated ‘I’ve done beatings, smotherings, hangings, drownings, beheadings, necro, beast, the list goes on’ with a laughing emoji.”

The defendant went on to say that “creating 3D porn could get me jail time”, and later added: “Most of the people who commission me don’t/can’t f*** their nieces, daughters etc, so the way I see it is I provide a valuable service.”

Nelson, who had no previous convictions, was arrested at his family home in Egerton, Bolton, in June last year and told police he had a sexual interest mainly in girls aged about 12.

He said he had met like-minded people on the internet and eventually began to create images for sale as he considered his offending “had got out of control”.

Various devices were seized and were found to contain a large quantity of indecent images as well as chats online with adults in France, Italy and the United States regarding the sexual exploitation and rape of children, although there was no evidence before the court to say any child had been sexually or physically assaulted.

Bob Elias, defending, said Nelson was a “shy, gauche man” who led a “lonely, socially isolated existence” in his bedroom at his family home.

He said: “What he was seeking primarily was validation, congratulations and a sense of belonging in a community.

“He was earning relatively small amounts of money and desperately wanted validation.

“He plunged down the rabbit hole to this sort of fantasy life and became completely engrossed in it.

“He has brought his life crashing down around him to the shock and horror of his immediate family.”

Nelson had recognised the depravity of his actions and had apologised for them in a letter to the judge, the court heard.

The defendant pleaded guilty at a hearing to various sexual offences including intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of the rape of a child under the age of 13, making and distributing indecent images of children and attempting to incite a child aged under 16 to engage in sexual activity.

Outside court, Jeanette Smith, specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “It is extremely disturbing that Hugh Nelson was able to take normal photographs of children and, using AI tools and a computer programme, transform them and create images of the most depraved nature to sell and share online.

“Technology is rapidly evolving and, unfortunately, so too is its risk to children.

“I hope this conviction sends a clear message to those who exploit this technology and inflict harm on children: you will be robustly pursued by law enforcement, prosecuted by the CPS and brought to justice.”

Detective Chief Inspector Jen Tattersall, head of Greater Manchester Police’s Online Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “Nelson is an extremely dangerous man who thought he could get away with what he was doing by using modern technology.

“He was wrong and has now felt the full force of the law for his actions.”

Derek Ray-Hill, interim chief executive at the Internet Watch Foundation, said: “Technology is now enabling previously unthought of violations of innocent children.

“We are discovering more and more synthetic and AI images of child sexual abuse, and they can be disturbingly life-like.

“Children deserve safety, and the abuse of this technology is a nightmare which only risks making the internet a worse and more dangerous place for everyone.”