Disgraced former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards is set to return to court on Monday to learn of his fate, having recently admitted to possessing indecent images of children on his phone. Edwards, aged 63, was a prominent figure at the BBC, known for presenting News at Ten and covering major national events like the announcement of the Queen’s death in 2022. However, in April of this year, he resigned from his position at the BBC and later pleaded guilty to three counts of having indecent images of children, received via WhatsApp from another individual. Edwards appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on July 31, where he admitted to having 41 indecent images, including the most serious category A images showing abuse.
The investigation into Edwards began in the summer of 2023 when allegations surfaced about a well-known BBC presenter paying a teenager for images. Although these charges were not connected to the teenager, police discovered Edwards’ involvement through a seized phone during an unrelated probe. The illegal images were sent to him via WhatsApp by a man named Alex Williams, who had previously been convicted of possessing prohibited images. Edwards received a total of 377 sexual images, 41 of which were indecent images of children, mainly sent over a two-month period.
Criticism has been directed at the BBC for continuing to pay Edwards a substantial salary during the investigation period. The BBC defended its actions, stating that they would have dismissed Edwards immediately if he had been charged while still employed. Edwards, hailing from Llangennech near Llanelli, is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday for sentencing. The court was informed that Edwards had instructed the sender not to include underage images, indicating some level of awareness on his part. The BBC maintained that it would have taken swift action had Edwards been charged while still employed.