FOI 15273
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: HRC0015273/26
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 19th June 2026. Please find below the response to your request:
(1) How many offices in relation deepfake AI generated sexual images have been reported in the last three financial years 2025/26, 2024/25 and 2023/24 in West Mercia?
(2) Over the same period, how many of these reported offences resulted in convictions in West Mercia?
(3) How may of these AI deep fake indecent images involved children?
(4) How many of these AI deep fake images involved so-called revenge pornography and/or sextortion cases?
Ideally I would like the figures for Worcestershire for each of the four questions but appreciate West Mercia may not record the data in this way.
Reply
West Mercia Police hold the below information
Please note: There is no specific offence in relation to deepfake AI generated sexual images; the following keywords have been used to search; AI, artificial, deepfake, deep fake, edited, imposed, synthetic media.
- How many offices in relation deepfake AI generated sexual images have been reported in the last three financial years 2025/26, 2024/25 and 2023/24 in West Mercia?
|
Home Office primary offence title |
Financial Year |
Total number of offences |
||
|
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
||
|
(071/17) Attempted - Engage in sexual communication with a child |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
(35/00) Blackmail |
2 |
1 |
11 |
14 |
|
(021/05) Causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity: Male child no penetration |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
(195/94) Harassment |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
(086/15) Possessing prohibited images of children |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
(088/15) Sharing or threatening to share intimate photograph or film to cause alarm, distress or humiliation, or for sexual gratification |
|
|
6 |
6 |
|
(195/12) Stalking - Pursue course of conduct in breach of Sec 1 (1) which amounts to stalking |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
(086/02) Take or to make or to distribute indecent photographs or pseudo- photographs, of children |
1 |
4 |
6 |
11 |
|
Grand Total |
4 |
5 |
29 |
38 |
- Over the same period, how many of these reported offences resulted in convictions in West Mercia?
Conviction data is provided by the courts however we can provide the outcome data of the crime below.
|
Police outcomes by Home Office primary offence title |
Financial Year |
Grand Total |
||
|
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
2025/26 |
||
|
(071/17) Attempted - Engage in sexual communication with a child |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Pending/under investigation |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
(035/00) Blackmail |
2 |
1 |
11 |
14 |
|
Type 14 - Evidential Difficulties Victim Based- Suspect Not Identified: Crime Confirmed But The Victim Either Declines Or Unable To Support Further Police Investigation To Identify The Offender |
|
|
4 |
4 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
2 |
1 |
6 |
9 |
|
(021/05) Causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity: Male child no penetration |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
(195/94) Harassment |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
Type 8 - Community resolution (Crime) |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
(086/15) Possessing prohibited images of children |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Type 21 - Further investigation resulting from crime report which could provide evidence sufficient to support formal action against the suspect is not in the public interest - police decision. |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
(088/15) Sharing or threatening to share intimate photograph or film to cause alarm, distress or humiliation, or for sexual gratification |
|
|
6 |
6 |
|
Type 14 - Evidential Difficulties Victim Based- Suspect Not Identified: Crime Confirmed But The Victim Either Declines Or Unable To Support Further Police Investigation To Identify The Offender |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
(195/12) Stalking - Pursue course of conduct in breach of Sec 1 (1) which amounts to stalking |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
(086/02) Take or to make or to distribute indecent photographs or pseudo- photographs, of children |
1 |
4 |
6 |
11 |
|
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
1 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Type 22 - Diversionary, educational or intervention activity, resulting from the crime report, has been undertaken and it is not in the public interest to take any further action. |
|
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Pending/under investigation |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
4 |
5 |
29 |
38 |
- How may of these AI deep fake indecent images involved children?
Please see Q1 which includes the offence title which indicates child related offences.
We are unable to break this down further as often the age of the individual is not recorded however child offences are as in table 1
It is also possible that we do not necessarily have the victim’s details or they may wish to remain anonymous.
(4) How many of these AI deep fake images involved so-called revenge pornography and/or sextortion cases?
As above there is no specific offence to revenge porn however 14 were recorded as blackmail.