A sex offender who was granted bail to live in a flat overlooking a playground he targeted has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison, prompting the Metropolitan Police Commissioner to criticize “unfathomable decisions” by the justice system.
Zafer Dogan, a 32-year-old mechanic from Enfield in north London, admitted to taking more than 5,000 indecent images of children. The offences included using AI software to digitally remove clothing from photos of victims, known as “nudifying,” which he captured voyeuristically from his bedroom window.
Despite police assessments highlighting the significant risk Dogan posed, he was repeatedly allowed to return to his home while on bail. This meant that victims, including children under the age of eight and teenagers, continued to live in close proximity to their abuser.
Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Police Commissioner, spoke outside Wood Green Crown Court following the sentencing. He argued that bail decisions improperly prioritized the interests of the offender over the safety and well-being of the victims.
“The children should be put first, not the paedophile,” Sir Mark stated. He revealed that one family became so terrified of living near Dogan that they were forced to relocate to distant temporary accommodation, disrupting their lives and their children’s schooling simply to escape the neighborhood.
The emotional toll on the victims was profound. The mother of a child under eight described feeling “helpless,” noting that her family’s life would never recover after one individual exploited her child. Another victim’s mother said the news felt like being “punched in the gut,” expressing fear that the manipulated images were circulating online among other predators.
Sir Mark Rowley also directed criticism toward technology firms, labeling some actions as “grossly irresponsible.” He urged AI and photo-editing companies to implement stricter safeguards to prevent their platforms from being used to facilitate sexual abuse.
“Innovation cannot come at the expense of public safety,” the Commissioner said. “Industry has a clear responsibility to help prevent these technologies being exploited by predators.”
I grew up near Enfield. It’s shocking to hear predators were allowed back into these communities so easily.
Two years for 5,000 images? That sentence feels wildly inadequate for the scale of the abuse.
The AI ‘nudifying’ part is terrifying. Tech companies need mandatory safeguards immediately, not just suggestions.
Is the Met blaming bail decisions because they can’t control them? Dogan was already a known risk.
Absolutely disgusting that this man was back on bail near a playground. The system failed these children completely.