A man from Bolton has pleaded guilty to a number of offences relating to the use of computer technology to create child sexual abuse content.
In what is being described as a “landmark case”, not just for Greater Manchester Police (GMP) but also nationally, Hugh Nelson, from the Greater Manchester town of Bolton, appeared at Bolton Crown Court last week (Friday 9 August 2024) and pleaded guilty to 11 offences in total.
According to GMP, the 27-year-old pleased guilty to three counts of encouraging the rape of a child under 13, one count of attempting to incite a boy under 16 to engage in a sexual act, three counts each of the distribution and making of indecent images, and one count of possessing prohibited images.
He also pleaded guilty to publishing an obscene article, and four counts of distributing indecent pseudo photographs of children, at an earlier court appearance back in July 2023.
Detective Constable Carly Baines, from GMP’s Online Child Abuse Investigation Team (OCAIT) – which led the investigation – said this case is “particularly unique” and “deeply horrifying”.
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Nelson was using computer programme Daz 3D, with an AI function within it, to transform images of real children, normal everyday photographs, into indecent child sexual abuse imagery, selling these to people online.
We hope this conviction will set a precedent for the future.
“Nelson was using computer programme Daz 3D, with an AI function within it, to transform images of real children, normal everyday photographs, into indecent child sexual abuse imagery, selling these to people online, as well as providing them for free,” DC Baines explained.
“It became clear to us after extensive trawls of his many devices by digital forensic experts, however, that his behaviour went far beyond what clearly he was seeing as a ‘business opportunity’, as not only was he creating and selling these images, but he was engaging in depraved sexualised chat online about childrenm and going as far as to encourage people interested in his online content to commit contact offences such as rape against children they knew or were related to.”
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DC Baines said the OCAIT worked “incredibly closely” with several teams across the country on this case, including national investigation units, and a specialist solicitor and prosecutor from the national Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) team, to gather the “strongest possible evidence to present”, and to determine how to proceed.
A Bolton man has pleaded guilty to creating child sexual abuse content using AI / Credit: Google Maps
“This case has been a real test of the legislation,” DC Baines continued, “as using computer programmes in this particular way is so new to this type of offending and isn’t specifically mentioned within current UK law.
“What this case will do is set a precedent for future cases, but hopefully also play a role in influencing what future legislation looks like, to ensure offenders can continue to feel the full force of the law.
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“I understand that computers, including AI enabled programmes, can be an incredibly useful and important tool, including for police forces, in particular teams working in the online space like us, but it’s clear from this case how dangerous it can also be when put into the wrong hands.”
Nelson currently awaits sentencing on 25 September 2024.
Featured Image – GMP
Bolton
Local Bolton schoolkids chosen to select street names in new neighbourhood
Danny Jones
Some local schoolkids from Bolton are among the lucky few to be chosen for a great honour: to be the people responsible for selecting the street names for a brand new neighbourhood.
That’s definitely something to tell their little ones and grandchildren someday.
For anyone from the Bolton area, you may have heard of the new development popping up over in Little Lever, a burgeoning suburban area not too far away from Moses Gate Country Park.
Carrying on the ‘Creams Mill’ moniker as a whole, a group of students from nearby Mytham Primary School have further been entrusted with naming the next leafy chapter of village life.
Credit: Watson (press shots)
Picking a handful of pupils from members of the school council, who have clearly already shown plenty of initiative and interest in extracurricular activities, property firm Watson Homes first visited the school back in 2023 to allow some young minds to take part in an exciting competition.
Known as ‘The Change Makers’ in Mytham Primary, not only did they find out more about the brownfield plot, but also more about the site’s surrounding history, including its rich industrial heritage, the significance of the canal corridor in the wider context of Greater Manchester and more.
Having then been inspired by everything from the waterways to the native wildlife, names were thrown into the mix; now, more than two years later, eight of those bright-eyed pupils and some of their teachers were invited back for a mini grand opening of their own.
Getting to see the road signs unveiled for the first time – Woodpecker Road, Deer Lane, Owl Lane, Dragonfly Court, Middle Bents Lane, and Bally Close – as well as putting the finishing touches on other things like hedgehog pathways and birdboxes. Cute.
They even got to name three apartment buildings within Creams Mill, which have now been dubbed Davenport House, Fletcher House, and Waterway House. Such a cool experience for these youngsters.
Honestly, how wholesome is this?
Credit: Supplied
The Manchester-based affordable housing firm’s director, Mike Watson, said in a statement: “It has been incredibly rewarding to see the pupils of Mytham Primary return to the site and see their ideas become part of the streets they helped to imagine.
“This project started with conversations in a classroom and is now taking shape on the ground – from the new homes rising across the site to the restoration of the canal.
“This is a development that genuinely reflects Little Lever’s heritage and future ambitions, and is a powerful example of how regeneration is rooted in community pride as well as bricks and mortar.”
We think we speak for everyone when we say this is the kind of work in the community that we’d like to see more of from the various developers across the region.
Murder investigation launched and man arrested after woman found dead in Bolton flat
Emily Sergeant
A murder investigation has been launched after a woman was found dead at a flat in Bolton.
Yesterday (Monday 19 January 2026) at around 10am, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) responded to a concern for welfare at an address on Kempston Gardens, in the Halliwell area of Bolton, and when officers arrived at the scene, they found a female who was ‘unresponsive’ inside the address.
CPR commenced, but despite the best efforts of all involved, paramedics pronounced the woman as dead shortly after.
A murder investigation has been subsequently launched, and a 33-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and remains in custody for questioning at this time.
A police cordon remains in place while investigations are underway, and GMP is now appealing to the public for information.
“Our priority at this time is identifying the female and informing her family as soon as we are able to,” commented Detective Inspector Louise Kelly, of the Major Incident Team.
“Specialist officers will be available to support them throughout this investigation.
“A murder investigation has been launched and whilst we currently have a man in custody, there is a police cordon in place, and we are conducting enquires to establish the circumstances which have led to this tragic incident.
“We understand that an incident of this nature may cause concern within the community, however we believe there is no wider risk to the public.”
Emily Sergeant -
12th August 2024 
