Former BBC information presenter Huw Edwards walks exterior Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom after being charged with offences of indecent pictures of kids on the day of a listening to, in London, Britain, July 31, 2024. | Picture credit score: REUTERS
Huw Edwards, the from the BBC The previous information presenter pleaded responsible on Wednesday to 3 counts of creating indecent photographs of kids, admitting accessing pictures despatched to him by a person by way of the messaging service WhatsApp.
Throughout a 26-minute listening to at Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom in central London, the court docket heard that an unnamed man contacted Edwards by way of social media and despatched lots of of sexual photographs on WhatsApp between December 2020 and April 2022.
Of the 377 sexual photographs despatched, 41 had been indecent photographs of kids. Seven of those had been categorised as “class A”, which had been probably the most indecent, and a lot of the youngsters had been estimated to be between 13 and 15 years previous, though one was between 7 and 9 years previous.
The final indecent picture was despatched in August 2021, an “A-rated” movie that includes a younger baby. The person instructed Edwards that the kid “seemed fairly younger” and that he had extra photographs that had been unlawful. Edwards then instructed him to not ship any unlawful photographs and no additional such indecent photographs had been despatched, though the pair continued to trade authorized pornographic photographs till April 2022.
“Entry to indecent photographs of kids perpetuates the sexual exploitation of kids, leaving deep and lasting trauma for these victims,” stated Claire Brinton of the Crown Prosecution Service, which decides whether or not a case ought to go to court docket.
Edwards, who was the primary presenter of the from the BBC The nightly information anchor for 20 years, who led the general public broadcaster’s protection of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022 in addition to election specials, has been remanded in custody till a pre-sentence listening to on September 16. He might withstand 10 years in jail, though prosecutors have admitted a suspended sentence might be acceptable.
Edwards, who was one of many from the BBC The previous US president, one of many highest-earning presidents, was suspended in July 2023 over separate allegations he made final yr. He subsequently resigned for well being causes. He had not been seen in public till Wednesday’s listening to.
Talking in Edwards’ defence, barrister Philip Evans stated there was “no suggestion” his consumer had “within the conventional sense of the phrase, created any picture of any sort”.
Edwards, he added, “didn’t retain any photographs, didn’t ship any to anybody else and didn’t and has not sought comparable photographs elsewhere.” He added that Edwards had well being issues “each psychological and bodily” and that he “has not solely good character, however distinctive character.”
Prosecutor Ian Hope instructed the court docket that Edwards’ “real regret” was one of many the reason why a suspended sentence might be thought of. Outlining the attainable penalties beneath the regulation, he stated that the place rehabilitation was attainable, a intercourse offender remedy programme and group service might be thought of as options to jail.
A spokesman for the Nationwide Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Youngsters stated there must be “little doubt” concerning the seriousness of Edwards’ crimes.
“It may be extraordinarily traumatic for younger folks to study that sexual photographs of themselves have been shared on-line,” the spokesperson stated. “We additionally want on-line platforms to do rather more to establish and disrupt baby abuse on non-public messaging providers with the intention to defend younger folks.”
