The BBC knew of Huw Edwards’ arrest over accessing indecent images of children in November but continued employing him until April, the corporation has said.
The veteran broadcaster admitted three charges of “making” indecent photographs after he was sent 41 illegal images by convicted paedophile Alex Williams.
Williams was charged in relation to his WhatsApp chat with Edwards and was convicted of seven offences following an investigation by South Wales Police – receiving a 12-month suspended sentence.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court was told seven of the indecent images shared with the veteran broadcaster by Williams were of the most serious type.
![Huw Edwards court case](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/4fa179c6eae44ec21cd6da5ff0cd7eb2Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzIyNTI4MjI4/2.77009099.jpg?w=640)
The final indecent image was sent in August 2021, a category A film featuring a young boy, with the convicted paedophile telling the newsreader the child was “quite young looking” and that he had more images which were illegal.
In a statement, the BBC said: “In November 2023, whilst Mr Edwards was suspended, the BBC as his employer at the time was made aware in confidence that he had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences and released on bail whilst the police continued their investigation.
“At the time, no charges had been brought against Mr Edwards and the BBC had also been made aware of significant risk to his health.”
The corporation added: “The BBC is shocked to hear the details which have emerged in court today. There can be no place for such abhorrent behaviour and our thoughts are with all those affected.
“Today we have learnt of the conclusion of the police process in the details as presented to the court.
“If at any point during the period Mr Edwards was employed by the BBC he had been charged, the BBC had determined it would act immediately to dismiss him. In the end, at the point of charge he was no longer an employee of the BBC.
“During this period, in the usual way, the BBC has kept its corporate management of these issues separate from its independent editorial functions.”
An internal note to colleagues sent by BBC director-general Tim Davie, seen by the PA news agency, thanked staff working on the story for “your professionalism in carrying on with your jobs in difficult circumstances”.
Edwards appeared nervous, fidgeting with his hands as Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told him he would not be sentencing him on Wednesday.
The court heard that the broadcaster had engaged in online chat involving illegal photographs with an adult man, now known to be Williams, on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021, who sent him 377 sexual images, of which 41 were indecent images of children.
The bulk of these, 36, were sent during a two-month period.
On February 2 2021, Williams asked whether what he was sending was too young, to which Edwards told him not to send any underage images, the court heard.
The indecent images that were sent included seven category A, the worst, 12 category B, and 22 category C.
Of the category A images, the estimated age of most of the children was between 13 and 15, but one was aged between seven and nine, the court was told.
No more indecent images more were sent after August 2021, but the pair continued to exchange legal pornographic images until April 2022.
During the period he was being sent the photographs, Edwards fronted coverage of the funeral of the late Duke Of Edinburgh, and a programme from Windsor Castle the night before the funeral called HRH The Duke Of Edinburgh Remembered.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the charge of “making” an indecent image, which the broadcaster pleaded guilty to, has been broadly interpreted by the courts.
![Huw Edwards court case](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/f0f3302ab8a633cbb330d46ac8852cecY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzIyNTI5NTM3/2.77009154.jpg?w=640)
The CPS said it can range from opening an attachment in an email containing an image, to accessing pornographic websites in which indecent photographs of children appear by way of an automatic pop-up mechanism.
Speaking in Edwards’ defence, his barrister Philip Evans KC said: “Mr Edwards did not keep any images, did not send any to anyone else and did not and has not sought similar images from anywhere else.”
Mr Evans said the defendant had “both mental and physical” health issues.
He told the court: “It is obvious to the court, I’m sure, that Mr Edwards was not just of good character, but of exceptional character.”
Ian Hope, prosecuting, told the court that a suspended sentence might be considered for Edwards.
Setting out the potential penalties under the law, he said that where there is the prospect of rehabilitation a community order and sexual offender treatment programme could be considered as alternatives to a custodial sentence.
Sentencing guidelines set the starting point for any jail term for possession of a Category A image at 12 months, with a range of 26 weeks to three years.
The starting point is 26 weeks for a category B image, and a community order for category C, he said.
Edwards resigned from the BBC earlier this year “on the basis of medical advice from his doctors” following unrelated allegations that he paid a young person for sexually explicit photos.
He was suspended by the corporation after the allegations came to light, but the Metropolitan Police later said that no criminal offence had taken place.
The family of the unnamed young person originally complained to the BBC about Edwards in May 2023, and he was publicly named by his wife as the TV presenter at the centre of the allegations in following July.
During his career, he fronted BBC’s News At Ten for 20 years and anchored coverage of major national events including announcing Queen Elizabeth II’s death on the BBC and presenting coverage of her funeral.
He was previously the BBC’s highest-paid newsreader, with a pay bracket of £475,000 to £479,999 for the year 2023/24 for 160 presenting days, BBC One news specials, election specials and other television programming, according to the corporation’s latest annual report.
Edwards will appear at the same court again on September 16.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article