Your support helps us to tell the story
Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has been handed a suspended sentence after accessing indecent images of children as young as seven.
The veteran broadcaster, 62, previously admitted three charges of making indecent photographs after he was sent 41 illegal images by convicted paedophile Alex Williams over WhatsApp.
Edwards, of Wandsworth, southwest London, was sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for two years at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, following his guilty pleas in July.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told the former BBC News at Ten anchor that his “long-earned reputation is in tatters” after previously being “perhaps the most recognised newsreader-journalist”. The BBC condemned Edwards as having “betrayed not just the BBC, but audiences who put their trust in him” – adding that the corporation was “appalled by his crimes”.
Here is everything we learnt at Edwards’ sentencing hearing:
Edwards sent hundreds of pounds to convicted paedophile
It emerged that Edwards sent hundreds of pounds to Williams after he sent him pornographic images, although his defence barrister Philip Evans KC said the former broadcaster did not make payments to the convicted paedophile in order to receive indecent images of children.
Prosecutor Ian Hope said: “Mr Edwards was paying not insignificant sums of money – low hundreds of pounds on an occasional basis – to Alex Williams which Mr Williams directly asked for on several occasions, as gifts or presents, apparently off the back of sending pornographic images to Mr Edwards, about which images they chatted.
“Alex Williams has stated that the money was more generally to support him at university and amounted to around £1,000 to £1,500.”
The prosecution also described an occasion when Williams asked Edwards for a “Christmas gift after all the hot videos”.
Mr Hope said: “Alex Williams says he wants some Air Force 1 trainers that cost around £100, and Mr Edwards offers to send him £200.”
However, Edwards’ defence barrister Philip Evans KC told the court: “Mr Edwards did not make payments in order for images to be sent to him, and he certainly did not make payments in order that indecent images would be sent to him.
“Mr Edwards positively told Mr Williams not to send images of people who were underage.”
Disturbing exchanges between Edwards and man who sent him pictures
The former BBC presenter told Williams “go on” when asked if he wanted “naughty pics and vids” of somebody described as young in an exchange on 11 August 2021.
Mr Hope told the court on Monday that Williams sent a category A moving image showing a male child aged around 7 to 9, after which Edwards asks if he has “any more?”
“Alex Williams says he has but he is not sure if Mr Edwards would like them as they are illegal.
“Mr Edwards says ‘Ah OK don’t’ and the exchange immediately following concerns a series of images which Alex Williams describes as ‘looks young don’t he but he’s deffo 19.’”
Age of children in images presenter agreed to be sent
Edwards wrote “yes xxx” when he was asked by Williams if he wanted sexual images of a person whose “age could be discerned as being between 14 and 16”.
Mr Hope said: “From that chat in December 2020, Alex Williams said that he had ‘a file of vids and pics for you of someone special’.
“Mr Edwards immediately queried who the subject was and was then sent three images of seemingly the same person, from two of which images the subject’s age could be discerned as being between 14 and 16.
“These two were category C indecent images of children in which the child was exposing his penis.
“Alex Williams stated that he had ‘12 videos and 42 pics I’ve sent you a video of him before’.
“Shortly after Alex Williams asked: ‘want me to send you the full file?’ Mr Edwards responded ‘Yes xxx…’ immediately following which Alex Williams sent to Mr Edwards around 30 attachments, about half of which were category C indecent images of children.”
Edwards’ expresses remorse for crimes
Mr Evans said Edwards “recognises that he has betrayed the priceless trust and faith of so many people”, adding that he is “truly sorry” for how he had “damaged his family and his loved ones” and for committing the offences.
Meanwhile, the judge said he believed the former broadcaster’s remorse was genuine and that his mental health at the time of the offences could have impaired his decision-making.
In his sentencing remarks, the chief magistrate said: “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.”
