Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards given suspended sentence for offensive images of children

LONDON (Reuters) – Former British television presenter Huw Edwards, the face of the BBC’s flagship news programme for many years, was given a suspended sentence by a London court on Monday after admitting making indecent images of children.

Monday’s sentencing marked the end of Edwards’ downfall. He had been a household name in Britain for more than two decades, and as the BBC’s chief newsreader was responsible for announcing Queen Elizabeth’s death in 2022.

Edwards, 63, pleaded guilty in July to three charges of making indecent images of children, relating to 41 illegal images he received via WhatsApp – including two pornographic videos of a child aged between seven and nine.

Judge Paul Goldspring sentenced Edwards to six months in prison, suspended for two years. This means that Edwards will not have to go to prison unless he commits a new offense during that time.

Seven of the illegal images were in the most serious category, prosecutor Ian Hope said, and both videos were marked as “read” on WhatsApp. In response to the second video, Edwards asked the man who sent them: “Any more?”

The offence of making indecent images of children relates to the images sent to Edwards. The prosecution did not allege that Edwards literally made the images in question.

According to his lawyer Philip Evans, Edwards was suffering from mental and physical health problems at the time of the incident and could not remember viewing specific images.

“He did not use them for any personal pleasure and he derived no satisfaction from those offensive images,” Evans said.

Edwards said he “deeply regretted” it.

“He recognises the abhorrent nature of such indecent images and the pain caused to those who appear in such images.”

Claire Brinton, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said in a statement: “Gaining access to indecent images of children perpetuates their sexual exploitation, causing deep and long-lasting trauma for these victims.”

The judge said Edwards’ reputation was now “in tatters” but that the personal impact on Edwards was “the natural consequence of your conduct which you brought upon yourself”.

A BBC spokesman said: “We are appalled by his crimes. He has betrayed not only the BBC but also the public who placed their trust in him.”

(Reporting by Sam Tobin, Editing by Kylie MacLellan and Angus MacSwan)