Sad and lonely man created AI images of child abuse using photos of celebrities

Wales Online

5 hours ago

Sad and lonely man created AI images of child abuse using photos of celebrities
Mark Barnfield, 43, later told police he used the AI images, which depicted children as young as two years old, to 'train himself' not to have a sexual interest in children
(Image: Getty Images )
A "sad and lonely" man spent hours a day on his computer generating AI images depicting child abuse by using photographs of real celebrities. He would use the photographs to create graphic images depicting children as young as two years old being sexually abused by adults.
Mark Barnfield, 43, of Barry, was arrested after police officers attended his home on February 28 after intelligence was received regarding indecent images of children. He told the officers he had been creating AI images of celebrities and said "I don't give a f*** on the computer, it's my mindset."
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A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday heard an ASUS laptop was seized and forensically examined. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter.
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A total of 332 category A images were discovered, as well as 91 category B images, 1,014 category C images and four prohibited images.
Prosecutor Abigail Jackson said none of the images depicted real children but were created using AI. The images were so realistic, they were legally categorised as photographs.
The children depicted in the images were between two and 14 years old, with the most serious showing female children being vaginally and anally penetrated by adult men.
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Examination of Barnfield's browsing history showed he had been searching for terms including "porn kids incest" and searching for celebrities including actress Emma Stone, using AI to make them appear younger.
When the defendant was interviewed, he told officers he created the images himself having "got bored of pornography".
He denied having a sexual interest in children and created the AI images to "train himself not to have such an interest".
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Barnfield, of Spires Walk, later pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, and one count of possessing prohibited images of children.
The court heard he has four previous convictions, none of which are relevant to the current charges.
In mitigation, Andrew Taylor said his client's mother has multiple sclerosis and should he be sent to prison, it would be left for his full-time employed sister to care for her.
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The barrister described the defendant as a "sad, lonely and vulnerable individual" who "became obsessed" by pornography and making AI images.
Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams said he recognised no real children were depicted in the AI Images, but added: "This activity can only fuel the disgusting abuse of such children involved in these images".
Barnfield was sentenced to a two-year community order and was fined £500.
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He was also made subject to a rehabilitation activity requirement of 25 days, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years and sex offender notification requirements for five years.