Huw Edwards has avoided jail after he paid £1,500 for indecent child images and videos.
Huw Edwards has avoided jail after he paid £1,500 for indecent child images and videos
The former BBC presenter, 63, was sent the pictures by a convicted paedophile on a WhatsApp group and had faced a maximum 12 months in jail for the offences after a judge kept the case at a magistrates court rather than sending it to crown.
Edwards avoided any jail sentence on Monday (16.09.24) after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and was instead handed a six-month sentenced suspended for two years and placed on the sex offenders register for seven years.
He reportedly remained “emotionless” at Westminster Magistrates’ Court as he was also told by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring to attend a sex offender treatment programme as well as 25 rehabilitation sessions.
Mr Goldspring added ex-news anchor Edwards’ reputation has now been left in “tatters” after he was sent 41 images on WhatsApp – including two videos of a boy as young as seven.
Defence barrister Philip Evans KC said Edwards was “truly sorry” and “recognises” the “repugnant nature” of the images sent to him.
The shamed presenter claimed drinking and the decline in his mental health played a part in his indecent WhatsApp chats.
Mr Goldspring said when sentencing him: “Perhaps it does not need saying but you are of previous good character… it’s obvious that until now you were very highly regarded by the public.
“It is not an exaggeration to say your long-earned reputation is in tatters.”
As well as being subject to 25 rehabilitation sessions and being forced to attend a sex offender treatment programme for 40 days, Edwards was also ordered to pay £3,000 in prosecution costs.
The judge added when releasing him: “I am of the clear view that you do not present a risk or danger to the public at large, specifically to children. There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”