Victims have been “grossly failed” after a decision was made to bail a paedophile to a flat overlooking a children’s playground, says London’s Victims’ Commissioner.
32-year-old Zafer Dogan was sentenced to two years and four months in jail on Thursday after being convicted of taking thousands of pictures of women and girls and turning them into nude images using AI.
Dogan had previously been bailed to his flat in Enfield, north London, despite opposition from police and prosecutors.
Police said many of the more than 5,000 images found in Dogan’s possession were taken from his bedroom window which overlooked a playground.
The move forced a family who had fallen victim to his crimes into temporary accommodation to get away from him.
Speaking with BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme on Friday, London’s Victims’ Commissioner, Andrea Simon, said the move was an sign that that “the justice system just does not centre victims.”
She said: “I think victims and their families were grossly failed by the decision to allow this paedophile to return to an address where he was overlooking a playground and near to his victims.
“But the case, I think, is an example of the many ways the justice system just does not centre victims.
“To know that the police and prosecutors opposed bail multiple times, but nevertheless he was returned to the community, is an indication that the capacity pressures on prisons are not being balanced with the impacts that that’s having on victims’ lives.”
Simon said she will urge the Government to “commit to a multi-agency review that examines the significant cross-justice agency failings, from the police, crown prosecutors, and the courts around how we share information and how we understand and respond to risk”.
The court heard that the photos of 33 adult women and two children – aged seven and 13 – were “digitally altered” by Dogan using AI software to create sexualised content.
Simon warned that the justice system is struggling to deal with the predators now using “AI and new technology to create and share abuse images”.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley also criticised the decision to bail Dogan to his flat, saying that pressure to cut the number of prisoners on remand has resulted in “dangerous and prolific offenders” being granted bail.
Remand and bail decisions are made by independent judges or magistrates.
A Government spokesperson said the law is “clear” and should be used to “protect victims, witnesses and the public while investigations and court proceedings are ongoing”.
