A man described by a judge as a "classic Peeping Tom" has been sentenced to three years in prison for secretly filming women and teenage girls and using artificial intelligence to create indecent images of children.
Secret Filming in Changing Rooms and Homes
Thomas Milton, 32, from Eston in North Yorkshire, purchased a spy camera via TikTok Shop and concealed it in changing rooms to record females, some as young as 13, without their consent. Teesside Crown Court heard that Milton, who worked as a technician, also hid the same camera in a woman's bedroom on two separate occasions, filming her as she undressed.
One victim, reading her impact statement in court, said she felt "sick, violated and utterly disgusted" and suffered flashbacks, struggling to return to her own home for weeks. Another woman filmed in her home stated she no longer felt safe there, leading her and her partner to decide to move house.
AI Used to Create Indecent Pseudo-Photographs
The court was told that Milton's offending extended beyond secret filming. He took "innocent" photographs of clothed teenage girls from social media on three separate occasions and used AI software to generate naked images of them. These were categorised as indecent pseudo-photographs of children.
During his trial at Durham Crown Court, Milton claimed he hid the camera for the "thrill" and not for sexual gratification. Sentencing Judge Richard Bennett dismissed this as "palpable nonsense".
Life-Long Order and Police Investigation
Judge Bennett sentenced Milton, who appeared via video link from HMP Holme House, highlighting the defendant's intelligence but also his manipulative, deviant, and dishonest behaviour. Milton was given a three-year prison sentence and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life, which restricts his contact with children and use of the internet and social media.
The judge warned: "Your use of AI in this offending highlights the real danger of posting innocent images of children on social media which can be manipulated by people who have a sexual interest in children."
Cleveland Police examined up to 35 digital devices during their investigation. Detective Constable Jonathon Collins said Milton had "violated the privacy of many people, including young children" and consistently refused to accept wrongdoing. The court heard Milton had lost his home, career, reputation, friends, and partner since his crimes came to light.
