Martin Rodger, a 29-year-old resident of Murdock Road in Bicester, Oxfordshire, appeared at Oxford Crown Court on 21 November 2023, where he was sentenced to 30 months in prison for possessing prohibited images of children and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
Rodger had previously been convicted in July 2021 for possession of indecent images of children, leading to the imposition of the sexual harm prevention order. Despite this, in May 2023, authorities discovered that he was in possession of an Xbox console with a plugged-in USB stick and a pink Amazon tablet. Upon examination, these devices contained AI-generated images depicting the sexual abuse of children aged between two and 12 years old. The images showed the children naked in various poses, constituting prohibited material under UK law.
Prosecutor George Joseph outlined the details during the hearing, emphasising the severity of the content. Rodger pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching the sexual harm prevention order and one count of possessing prohibited images of children. The court was informed that this was not Rodger's first offence; he had five prior convictions for 13 offences, including four previous breaches of similar orders.
In mitigation, Gordana Austin, Rodger's defence counsel, provided context about his background. She explained that Rodger was adopted at nine months old, with his family frequently moving abroad due to his adoptive father's government work. He was primarily home-schooled and developed an obsession with technology and Japanese culture, with the discovered images resembling manga style. Austin noted that Rodger had been homeless for the last four to five years, often sleeping in a tent, and had no contact with his adoptive family. He led a solitary lifestyle, with all friendships maintained online without real-life meetings. She also mentioned his ongoing issues with authority, a 2018 motorbike accident resulting in a broken leg and chronic pain, and his understanding that a custodial sentence was inevitable, requesting it be as short as possible.
Judge Emma Nott addressed Rodger directly, stating: 'This is yet another set of breaches of your sexual harm prevention order. You just haven't stopped and this is the problem you face today. You have complex mental health issues. You lean heavily on your mental issues as an excuse, you need to start taking responsibility for your actions. This is your fourth set of breaches.' In addition to the 30-month prison sentence, the court ordered the destruction of Rodger's electronic devices to prevent further offences.
The case was reported by Toby Oliver for the Oxford Mail, highlighting ongoing concerns about the use of AI in generating child sexual abuse material. Thames Valley Police were involved in the investigation, underscoring their role in enforcing sexual harm prevention measures in the region.