Father of two jailed for using AI 'nudify' bot to make and share fake nude image of schoolgirl

Scott Sheldon sentenced to 12 months and placed on sex offenders register for ten years after admitting distributing child sexual abuse material created with AI tool

By LineZotpaper

Published21 October 2026

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A father of two has been sent to prison for 12 months after using a "nudify" bot to create a fake nude image of a teenage girl and distributing it online. Scott Sheldon, 36, of Grangemouth, pleaded guilty to charges of downloading and distributing child sexual abuse images. Stirling Sheriff Court also placed him on the sex offenders register for ten years.

Stirling Sheriff Court heard that the police classified the AI-generated image as a Category C child sexual abuse image. When officers raided Sheldon's home in October 2025, they seized a tablet containing 34 indecent images and one video of children aged between 10 and 15. Some of the material was found on the Telegram messaging app.

Sheldon had used an artificial intelligence bot on Telegram to generate 12 indecent pseudo-images of a female child known to him. He then shared one of the images with other users of an anonymous chat service called AnonChat on October 14, 2025.

In August 2026, Sheldon pleaded guilty to the charges. Returning to court for sentencing, Sheriff Keith O'Mahony told him there was "no alternative" to a custodial sentence. "You pled guilty not just to possession but the distribution of images and that clearly affects the sentencing decision in this case," the sheriff said.

Sheldon showed no emotion as he was handcuffed and led to the cells.

Experts have repeatedly warned about the rise of nudification apps and the serious harm they can cause, particularly when used to create child sexual abuse material. The UK government has announced plans to ban so-called nudification apps, making it illegal to create or supply AI tools that can edit images to seemingly remove someone's clothing. The new offences, announced last December, are intended to build on existing laws around sexually explicit deepfakes and intimate image abuse.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

The case shows how widely available AI tools can be weaponised to create child sexual abuse material, causing lasting harm to victims.
It demonstrates that courts are treating AI-facilitated abuse with severe penalties, including prison and sex offender registration.
The UK government's planned ban on nudification apps highlights the need for legal frameworks to keep pace with rapidly advancing technology.

Background

Nudification apps and deepfake tools have become increasingly accessible, raising alarms about non-consensual intimate imagery. In December 2025, the UK government announced it would outlaw such tools, making it an offence to create or supply software that removes clothing from images. The case of Scott Sheldon is one of the first in Scotland to result in a custodial sentence for using an AI bot to generate and distribute indecent pseudo-images of a child.

Key Perspectives

Law enforcement and judiciary: The sentence sends a clear message that using AI to create child sexual abuse material will result in imprisonment and registration as a sex offender, with distribution treated more severely than possession. Child safety advocates: They warn that nudification bots enable a new form of abuse, often targeting minors, and that tougher laws and better enforcement are urgently needed. UK government: The planned ban on nudification apps aims to close legal gaps and strengthen protections, building on existing laws against deepfake and intimate image abuse.

What to Watch

Passage and enforcement of the UK's ban on nudification apps, expected to come into force in late 2026 or early 2027.
Similar legislative moves in other countries as AI-generated child sexual abuse material grows.
Further court cases that may set sentencing guidelines for offences involving AI-generated indecent imagery.

Sources

Dad jailed for using ‘nudify’ bot to make and share AI image of schoolgirl · STV News

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.

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SupportedScott Sheldon was jailed for 12 months for using a nudify bot to make and share a fake nude image of a schoolgirl.STV News: “A father of two has been jailed for using a “nudify” bot to make a fake naked image of a schoolgirl before sharing it on the internet.”
SupportedSheldon was placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years.STV News: “Sheriff Keith O’Mahony placed Sheldon on the sex offenders’ register for ten years in addition to imposing the 12-month jail term.”
SupportedSheldon, 36, of Grangemouth, pleaded guilty to downloading and distributing child sexual abuse images.STV News: “Scott Sheldon, 36, sent the fake picture of the girl to users of an anonymous chat service.”
Partly supportedSheldon pleaded guilty in August 2026.STV News: “In August, he pled guilty to downloading and distributing child sex abuse images.”
Partly supportedPolice raided Sheldon’s home in October 2025.STV News: “In October last year, police received information about a social media account belonging to Sheldon. A search warrant was obtained for his home in Grangemouth and it was raided.”
SupportedPolice found 34 images and one video on a tablet, featuring children aged approximately 10 to 15.STV News: “A tablet computer was seized, and 34 child sex abuse images and one video were found on it. The material featured boys and girls aged approximately ten to 15 years old.”
SupportedSheldon used a Telegram AI bot to generate 12 indecent pseudo-images of a teenage girl known to him.STV News: “Sheldon used the program to generate 12 indecent pseudo-images of a female child. This child was identified as a teenage girl known to Sheldon.”
SupportedSheldon shared one of the images with users of AnonChat on October 14, 2025.STV News: “On October 14, 2025, one of the images of the child – which police assessed as a Category C – was distributed between Sheldon and other users of an app called AnonChat.”
SupportedSheriff Keith O’Mahony said there was “no alternative” to a custodial sentence.STV News: “he returned to court on Wednesday, where the sheriff told him there was “no alternative” to a custodial sentence.”
SupportedThe sheriff said, “You pled guilty not just to possession but the distribution of images and that clearly affects the sentencing decision in this case.”STV News: “He said: “You pled guilty not just to possession but the distribution of images and that clearly affects the sentencing decision in this case.””
SupportedExperts have repeatedly warned about the rise of nudification apps and the potential harm they can cause.STV News: “Experts have issued several warnings about the rise of nudification apps and the potential for fake nude imagery to inflict serious harm on victims, particularly when used to create child sexual abuse material.”
Partly supportedThe UK government announced plans last December to make it illegal to create or supply AI tools that can seemingly remove someone’s clothing from images.STV News: “Last year, the UK government said it would ban so-called nudification apps as part of efforts to tackle misogyny online. New laws, announced on in December, will make it illegal to create and supply AI tools letting users edit images to seemingly remove someone’s clothing.”