Man jailed for creating indecent deepfake images of children and women
Karl Marshall, 47, was sentenced to two years and two months in October 2024 after pleading guilty to creating 266 indecent deepfake images of children and women using AI technology. Between July 2023 and January 2024, Marshall used the faces of real women and children without their knowledge to create and share digitally altered pornographic images online.
What happened
Between July 2023 and January 2024, Karl Marshall, 47, of Southport, created 266 indecent pseudo-images of children using AI technology to digitally alter images by replacing faces.
Marshall used the faces of real women and children without their knowledge to create digitally altered pornographic images, known as deepfakes, and shared them online.
Reported impact
One woman whose image was used stated: 'Knowing those images of me are out there circulating the internet is so violating. It was like I was just a piece of meat he could objectify.' She reported becoming unable to sleep, feeling permanently anxious, and questioning her appearance.
A second woman said: 'I feel unsafe in my own skin. No one touched me yet I feel violated and used. It's indescribable how dirty and weak you can feel when you have zero control over the situation you find yourself in.'
Governance controls
Marshall pleaded guilty to making indecent photographs/pseudo-photographs of a child, sharing a photograph or film of a person in an intimate state for the purpose of sexual gratification and voyeurism.
He was jailed for two years and two months on October 22, 2024 at Liverpool Crown Court. Detective Sergeant Rory Quigley stated: 'The creation or sharing of digitally altered images is not a victimless crime and in many cases, such as this one, the identities of real women are used.'
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.