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A 21-year-old who says he was “groomed” into an “improper relationship” with Huw Edwards has spoken of his fury after the newsreader was spared jail for child abuse images.
The young person’s mother and stepfather were the first to blow the whistle on Edwards after they revealed the newsreader had paid him £35,000 for X-rated images, although police said no crimes had taken place.
However, the 63-year-old was later arrested on separate charges after police discovered he had been sent 41 child abuse images on Whatsapp.
Edwards was this week spared jail and handed a six-month suspended sentence, having admitted to three charges of “making” indecent photographs he was sent by Alex Williams, some of which featured children as young as seven.
Speaking out following the broadcaster’s shocking downfall, the 21-year-old blasted the judge for letting him walk free.
“Edwards ruined my life and the victims in this case can’t be forgotten too,” he told the Mirror. “It’s quite disgusting that people like this get to roam the streets while others are in jail for petty theft, and more minor crimes.
“He’s free to walk around and do whatever he wants. He could easily do it again, who knows?”
He added: “They said he couldn’t go to prison because of his mental health and I just thought, what a load of rubbish. He shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it.”
Although not connected to the court case, the man claims he was a homeless teenager when he first struck up a friendship with Edwards on Instagram and feels he was “groomed” during their three-year relationship.
He told the publication he was grateful when the star began depositing large sums of money into his bank account – and in return he felt compelled to send him X-rated pictures and videos.
Now 21, he has revealed his horror at learning Edwards’ was exchanging messages with a paedophile at the same time as him.
“I felt sick when I heard that we were messaging around the same time, and were both so young,” he continued.
“I was speechless but at the end of the day I just feel for the victims and the children that have been harmed. It’s just sick.”
Police found no illegality when they looked into his relationship with the news anchor.
But he said watching the separate court case unfold has triggered flashbacks of what he says was an “improper relationship”, adding: “I felt like I owed something to him but now just feel shame and guilt. I can’t sleep thinking of my relationship with this man.”
Edwards’ sentence has sparked widespread debate but can only be made stronger if it is shown to be “unduly lenient”.
The court heard that the 63-year-old paid up to £1,500 to Alex Williams, 25, who sent Edwards 41 illegal images, seven of which were of category A, the very worst kind.
Of those images shared over WhatsApp, the estimated age of most of the children was between 13 and 15, while one was aged as young as between seven and nine.
Passing sentence, the chief magistrate, District Judge Paul Goldspring, told the previously beloved household name that his “long-earned reputation is in tatters” after committing the “extremely serious” offences.
Accepting Edwards previously had been of “exemplary” good character before committing the crimes, the judge said he was of the “clear view” the broadcaster did “not present a risk or danger to the public at large, specifically to children” and there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation” as he set out the reasons for the sentence.
He said he believed the former broadcaster’s remorse was genuine and that his mental health at the time of the offences may have impaired his decision-making.
Other mitigating factors include the fact he has no previous convictions, his early guilty plea and that he appeared to have “voluntarily desisted” or “at least asked not to be sent underage images” during the WhatsApp chat.
