Man jailed over deepfakes of women and children

Police say the man made more than 250 deepfake images using photos of the faces of real women and children

A man has been jailed for more than two years for creating and sharing sexually explicit deepfake images using photos of the faces of real women and children.

Karl Marshall, 47, of Rufford Road, Southport, pleaded guilty to the offences at Liverpool Crown Court.

Marshall made 266 sexually explicit deepfake images between July 2023 and January 2024 using artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the faces of real women and children before sharing them online, Merseyside Police said.

In a victim impact statement, shared by Merseyside Police, one of Marshall’s victim’s said: “Knowing those images of me are out there circulating the internet is so violating.”

'Not the same person'

She added: “I’m not the same person I was before. I worry when a man looks at me for too long and panic that he may have seen the images.”

The force said another of his victim’s said she felt “unsafe in my own skin”.

“No one touched me, yet I feel violated and used,” the statement said.

At Liverpool Crown Court this week, Marshall was jailed for two years and two months.

He admitted making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child and sharing a photograph or film of a person in an intimate state for the purpose of sexual gratification and voyeurism.

Det Sgt Rory Quigley said: “I would like to take this opportunity to stress that if you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, or know of a child being abused, please come forward and report this to police.”

“We take all such reports extremely seriously and if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us we have specially trained officers who will treat you with sensitivity and compassion,” he added.

The creation of sexually explicit deepfake images was made a criminal offence in April.