Gate News message, April 20 — Michael Elmer, 36, a former officer with Avon and Somerset Police, was sentenced to 13 months imprisonment today after admitting to using AI tools to manipulate private photos of a female colleague to make her appear naked and sharing them online for sexual gratification.
Elmer also confessed to creating and distributing indecent images of children and altering photos of girls in school uniforms to make them appear semi-nude. He pleaded guilty in February to four counts of making and distributing child abuse images and one count of sharing an image of a person in an intimate state for sexual gratification. His victim told the court she felt “angry, sad, disappointed, disgusted, embarrassed and humiliated” by his actions. The images were doctored versions of her family swimming photos and marathon participation pictures.
Judge David Evans described Elmer’s conduct as “sustained and deliberate offending,” noting that he actively sought AI technology to sexualize and objectify the images, and promoted his capabilities to others with similar exploitative interests. Elmer was placed on the Sex Offenders register with a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He resigned from the police before a misconduct hearing and was added to the national barred list, preventing future employment in policing or law enforcement.
