Victims were “grossly failed” by the decision to bail a paedophile to his flat overlooking a children’s playground, London’s Victims’ Commissioner has said.
Zafer Dogan, 32, was jailed on Thursday for two years and four months after he was convicted of taking thousands of pictures of women and girls, before using AI technology to turn them into nude images for his own sexual gratification.
Despite protests from the police and prosecutors, he had previously been bailed back to his flat in Enfield, north London, forcing one family who had fallen victim to his crimes to move into temporary accommodation.
Victims' rights 'put to one side'
London’s Victims’ Commissioner Andrea Simon told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme that the rights of victims have “seem to be put to one side as the justice system struggles”.
She said on Friday: “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.”
Call for multi-agency review
Ms Simon said she was calling on 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”.
She said she feared that as capacity pressures grow and the number of sex offenders increases, there is a “risk that critical information can be missed or not properly presented in court”.
According to the police, Dogan had taken more than 5,000 images, many of which were from his bedroom window which overlooked a playground.
The court was told photos of 33 adult women and two children – aged seven and 13 – were “digitally altered” using AI software to create sexualised content.
Police chief criticises justice system
Ms Simon said the justice system was struggling to deal with the serious and predatory nature of offenders who are using “AI and new technology to create and share abuse images”.
Following the 32-year-old’s sentencing, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley took the unusual step of publicly criticising the justice system, arguing the pressure to cut the number of prisoners on remand has led to “dangerous and prolific offenders” being granted bail.
Sir Mark said the current system was leaving his officers feeling “hamstrung” by making “unfathomable decisions”.
Tory former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland told the BBC’s The World At One that, while he agreed with Sir Mark’s concerns, he was concerned about the optics of him speaking out.
Sir Robert said: “I think that presence at any court by a senior police officer, whatever the intention of the police officer, and I’m sure it was an entirely honourable one, could be misconstrued as in some way an attempt to exert some pressure.”
However, Sir Tom Winsor, former Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, said he thought Sir Mark’s intervention was “entirely justified” and that he would “be right there as well” if he were still in his role.
Government response and case details
The Government said on Thursday that courts should only bail offenders “where necessary and proportionate”.
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”.
Remand and bail decisions are made by independent judges or magistrates.
Dogan had previously pleaded guilty to multiple image offences, including making indecent images of children, having been arrested on July 16 on suspicion of offences involving indecent images of children.
He was arrested again on August 4 and the following day was charged and remanded by police.
The defendant appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on August 6 and accepted all the charges against him.
According to the prosecutor, Dogan had “been on conditional bail throughout these proceedings”.
Dogan pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of a child, which included 900 category C images, 294 category B images and 653 category A images – which are the most severe.
He also admitted possessing extreme pornography, possessing a prohibited image of a child, creating purported intimate images of an adult, obstructing a constable in the execution of their duty and a further two counts of making indecent photographs of a child.
