A family moved into distant temporary housing to escape a man who admitted targeting their child, while he got to stay home

A family in Enfield was forced to leave their home and relocate to distant temporary housing to feel safe from a man who admitted to targeting their child. As reported by the BBC, Zafer Dogan, a 32-year-old mechanic, was repeatedly granted bail that allowed him to return to his home, which overlooked the playground where he had been filming children.

Police said Dogan captured more than 5,000 pictures of children, frequently using his bedroom window as a vantage point. He then used artificial intelligence software to manipulate the images to remove the children’s clothing, a practice commonly referred to as nudification.

Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley spoke outside Wood Green Crown Court on December 18 following Dogan’s sentencing, where he was jailed for two years and four months. Rowley criticized what he called the unfathomable decisions that allowed an offender to remain so close to his victims, saying, “The children should be put first, not the paedophile.” The government’s planned crackdown on nudification apps was detailed by the Internet Watch Foundation.

Prosecutors had tried to keep him from going home

The mother of a victim under the age of eight said she felt helpless and that their lives would never be the same because one man chose to exploit her child. Another mother, whose teenage daughter was targeted, said learning of the crimes felt like being punched in the gut. She added that she worries her daughter’s photos are circulating online and that others may have access to them.

Rowley said prosecutors had opposed bail on several occasions and presented clear assessments of the risk Dogan posed to the community. He said the justice system’s decisions consistently prioritized the offender over the safety of the victims’ families, leaving one family feeling they had no choice but to leave the neighborhood.

Rowley also criticized what he called grossly irresponsible technology and AI companies, noting that Dogan used AI tools to manipulate photos of children known to him for his own sexual gratification. He added that innovation cannot come at the expense of public safety. Meta separately overhauled its AI chatbot after a mother said it suggested questions about her children.

Data released on December 18 shows that 19 percent of confirmed reports of nude or sexual imagery of children involve digitally altered or manipulated content, including AI-generated fake nude imagery. The Internet Watch Foundation and Childline operate a service called Report Remove, which allows young people to confidentially report such imagery if it has been shared or is at risk of being shared online.

The government has announced plans to outlaw apps that digitally remove clothing as part of its broader Violence Against Women and Girls strategy. It is also encouraging tech firms to implement on-device protections so nude or sexual imagery cannot be sent, received, or shared on devices used by children.

Rowley concluded his remarks by stating that victims deserve better from both the tech industry and the criminal justice system.