Once a highest paid BBC news anchor Huw Edwards has been sentenced six-months’ imprisonment and was suspended for two years. In court, he apologized for the “repugnant” nature of his offenses after pleading guilty to being in possession of child abuse images earlier this year, according to reports.
During a hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Monday, he was sentenced, which include a sex offender treatment programme and 25 rehabilitation sessions. He has been asked to sign the sex offenders’ register for seven years and pay £3,128 in costs and a victim surcharge.
While sentencing Edwards, Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring said that his crimes are “extremely serious offences” but Edwards doesn’t present a risk or danger to children. He will also undergo sex offender rehabilitation. The judge said Edwards’ reputation was in “tatters” after he was once the “most recognized” news presenter in the UK.
The 63-year-old BBC presenter was at the peak of his powers until last year before he pleaded guilty to child pornography charges in July.
Prosecutor Ian Hope, who opened the case against Edwards, described him as “well known journalist and broadcaster”, at the Court. Hope disclosed the WhatsApp chats between Edward and Alex Williams, then a 19-year-old university student, who made contact with him in early 2018 over social media while he was “randomly attempting to contact famous people hoping someone would respond”.
The prosecutor further said that during those exchanges, Edwards described the images of young people as “amazing,” some of which were distressing in nature, and included a file titled “Boys Town Adolescents Presents 13yo.” He did at one point, however, tell Williams not to send images that may be illegal.
According to prosecutors, Edwards sent William cash “gifts” of up to £1,500 ($2,000) over the period the images were sent between December 2020 and April 2021. His defense barrister Philip Evans said this was “not paid for the purposes of receiving indecent images,” which the judge accepted. Evans argued that Edwards did not store the images or use them for “personal gratification.”
The court noted their conversation was “sexual in nature” and Edwards paid Williams in the “low hundreds of pounds on an occasional basis”. According to reports, Edwards sent Williams a total of £1,000 to £1,500, which he said was to support him at university.
During his sentencing, Edwards expressed deep regret for his actions, acknowledging the severity of the charges related to child abuse images. Edwards wanted the court to understand that he was “profoundly sorry” and fully recognized the “repugnant” nature of the images he had received. His lawyer, Evans, conveyed Edwards’ sincere apologies, stating that he knew he had “betrayed the trust” of his colleagues and family. “He has lost his good character in a very public way,” Evans added.
The court also heard details about Edwards’ mental health and struggles with alcohol. His defense team revealed that he had been diagnosed with a “major depressive disorder” and a cognitive disorder, which they argued had clouded his judgment and decision-making. Medical assessments indicated that Edwards was at a significant risk of suicide.
Evans described Edwards’ exchanges with Alex Williams as the result of a “perfect storm” in his life, particularly between 2020 and 2021. He emphasized that Edwards did not recall specific images or exploit them after they were received. The judge accepted this, noting the complexity of the situation.
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