Woman targeted by deepfake abuse from brother-in-law
A woman in Lancashire was targeted with deepfake pornography and non-consensual intimate images created and shared online by her brother-in-law over an eight-year period. Karl Marshall, now a convicted sex offender, created and distributed explicit synthetic images of Sophie Parrish without her consent, causing her significant psychological harm.
What happened
Sophie Parrish received anonymous Facebook messages after returning from a family holiday in Turkey, with someone claiming her brother-in-law Karl Marshall had been distributing explicit videos of himself filmed in her home. The second message contained personal details about Sophie and her family, including her Ainsdale address, alongside a photograph of her underwear at the foot of her bed with distinctive bedding she had purchased shortly before her holiday.
The anonymous user claimed Marshall had shared this photograph and other explicit material online via the messaging platform Kick. Marshall had taken 'countless' photographs of Sophie in her underwear, which she had created as part of a body positivity journey following the birth of her two children, with some images dating back years to when she was a smaller size.
Reported impact
Sophie Parrish said she 'broke into a thousand pieces' from suffering digital abuse over an eight-year period. When the family confronted Marshall about the abuse, he 'manipulated' her sister, his then wife, causing a rift between them.
Index analysis
The deepfake technology was used to create and distribute explicit synthetic images of Sophie Parrish without her consent, combining her face with sexual content. The abuse involved not only deepfake images but also non-consensual sharing of private intimate photographs she had taken herself.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.