BBC say Huw Edwards 'betrayed' them and public after highest-paid presenter is handed suspended prison sentence for child abuse images

Advertisement Huw Edwards has been handed a six month prison sentence, suspended for two years, at Westminster Magistrates Court over child abuse charges.The punishment caps a remarkable fall from grace for the shamed BBC newsreader who was the highest-paid at the corporation. The 63-year-old will spend the next seven years on the sex offenders register after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in August.Our live coverage has now ended but for a full recap see belowThis live blog has now closed.Full timeline of Huw Edwards' downfallAnalysis: What comes next for Huw Edwards - Taunts, shame and a secure retirementHuw Edwards sentencing: Quotes from the courtroomIt is clear from the face of the WhatsApp chat recovered that a deal of the chat between Alex Williams and Mr Edwards was sexual in nature.It is also clear that 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.On February 19 2021, Alex Williams asked ‘is the stuff I’m sending too young for you?’ The next response from Mr Edwards is dated February 22 2021 saying ‘don’t send underage’.Defence barrister Philip Evans KCHe is no longer on television. You have witnessed the manner in which he has fallen from grace as a consequence of this offending.He recognises the repugnant nature of the images and the hurt he has done to those who appear in them.He apologises sincerely and makes it clear he has the utmost regret. He has betrayed the trust and faith of so many people and damaged loved ones and those around him.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,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.Court sketch of Edwards in the dockSocial media users criticise Huw Edwards sentencingHuw Edwards sentencing: Everything you need to know about punishmentHuw Edwards was handed a six month prison sentence suspended for two years. It means Edwards avoids jail risks being imprisoned if he breaches his sentence in the next two years.The 63-year-old will have to complete a sex offender programme and 25 rehabilitation sessions.Edwards will be placed on the sex offenders register for seven years - meaning he has to notify the police of his whereabouts.He was also ordered to pay £3,000 costs.The judge declined to make a sexual harm prevention order against Edwards. Such orders are designed for the purposes of protecting the public Pictures: Huw Edwards leaves Westminster Magistrates CourtBreaking:Watch: Edwards leaves court after sentencingBreaking:BBC - Huw Edwards betrayed audiences who trusted himWe are appalled by his crimes. He has betrayed not just the BBC, but audiences who put their trust in him.Crown Prosecution Service - Edwards case 'sends clear message' against exploiting childrenAccessing indecent images of children perpetuates the sexual exploitation of them, which has deep, long-lasting trauma for these victims.The CPS and Metropolitan Police were able to prove that Edwards was receiving illegal images and videos involving children via WhatsApp.This prosecution sends a clear message that the CPS, working alongside the police, will work to bring to justice those who seek to exploit children, wherever that abuse takes place.Police release mugshot of Huw EdwardsEdwards nods as punishment is handed downBreaking:Huw Edwards given suspended prison sentenceEdwards has shown 'insight' over his actionsNo evidence Edwards had sexual gratification from imagesJudge tells Edwards his reputation 'is in tatters'Perhaps it does not need saying but you are of previous good character.Breaking:Chief magistrate returns Huw Edwards sentencing: What has happened so far?Huw Edwards arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court wearing his wedding ring and wheeling a suitcase as crowds of media gathered outside the buildingEdwards paid a paedophile up to £1,500 after receiving explicit pictures and videos of children with the pair's exchanges revealed during his sentencingAlex Williams told Edwards he had 'naughty' and 'young' images, to which the BBC newsreader replied: 'Go on'Westminster Magistrates Court the pair exchanged messages on WhatsApp from 2018 to 2022Edwards told Williams 'don't send underage' after he received an explicit video of children aged around seven to nine and 11 to 13Edwards has said he is 'profoundly sorry' for the damage he has caused and admitting he had betrayed the 'priceless trust' of those close to himThe disgraced BBC presenter's defence barrister said a pre-sentence report showed there was a prospect of rehabilitation for EdwardsBreaking:Huw Edwards to be sentenced at 12:30pmEdwards was 'vulnerable' when he received first message from paedophileAlex Williams sought him out and he sought him out on Instagram at a time when Mr Edwards can properly be described as having been vulnerable.Independent experts have assessed him as being mentally vulnerable at that time.He is no longer on television. You have witnessed the manner in which he has fallen from grace as a consequence of this offending.He was sought out by Alex Williams and as a consequence of being sought out… in amongst those lawful communications Mr Edwards was sent (images), he did not request in fact he positively at times tried to resist those images – but ended up with them in any event.Probation report finds Edwards has low risk of reoffendingDefence barrister - Edwards 'profoundly sorry' over damage causedHe recognises the repugnant nature of the images and the hurt he has done to those who appear in themHe apologises sincerely and makes it clear he has the utmost regret. He has betrayed the trust and faith of so many people and damaged loved ones and those around him.He is truly sorry that he has committed these offences.Breaking:Edwards to be sentenced at magistrates courtDefence barrister - Edwards has a chance of rehabilitationEdwards told paedophile 'don't send underage' after explicit video of childrenOn February 10, 2021, a category A video was sent which is notable because the age of one of the children involved was significantly younger than in the rest of the images sent – it showed several acts of penetration between two children aged around seven to nine and 11 to 13 respectively.There was no direct response from Mr Edwards to this video, beyond it being marked as ‘read’. A week later… a number of attachments were sent which included two category B videos and four category C still images comprising indecent images of children.Paedophile asked Edwards for 'Christmas gift' for 'all the hot videos'Three-quarters of an hour later, Alex Williams again asks for ‘a Christmas gift after all the hot videos’ and Mr Edwards immediately responds ‘what do you need?’Alex Williams says he wants some Air Force 1 trainers that cost around £100, and Mr Edwards offers to send him £200.Shocking exchange between Edwards and convicted paedophile read out in courtFrom 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 sent hundreds of pounds to convicted paedophileIt is clear from the face of the WhatsApp chat recovered that a deal of the chat between Alex Williams and Mr Edwards was sexual in nature.It is also clear that 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.Breaking:Sentencing hearing startsPacked courtroom waits for Edwards sentencingEdwards' sentencing about to startWhat is 'making' indecent images? opening an email attachment containing an imagedownloading an image from a website to a screenstoring an image on a computeraccessing a pornographic website in which an image appears in an automatic 'pop-up' windowreceiving an image via social media, even if unsolicited and even if part of a groupor live-streaming images of childrenHuw Edwards yet to return £200k salaryWe've made the formal request, and I can't go into too much detail, but discussions are under way, but I've got no further news, apart from the BBC's position is clear, the money should be returned, and we made the request.Huw Edwards still wearing his wedding ringProfile: How Huw Edwards rose through ranks to become BBC's highest-paid presenterSilence from Edwards as he is met by protestersPictured: Huw Edwards arrives at courtBreaking: Huw Edwards arrives at Westminster Magistrates CourtI am today writing this open letter to make you understand the immense pain and suffering you have caused me, my son, my family, your own family - and all of your victims over the years.'That you have lost everything is no consolation to us. You will receive your punishment in court.Crowds gather ahead of Huw Edwards arrivalTimeline: How Huw Edwards fell from graceWhy Huw Edwards is returning to the dockGood morning Advertisement Share or comment on this article: BBC say Huw Edwards 'betrayed' them and public after highest-paid presenter is handed suspended prison sentence for child abuse images

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