Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards gets suspended sentence for child pornography

September 17, 2024 – (London) Huw Edwards, the former face of the BBC’s flagship news programme, was given a suspended sentence on Monday after admitting possession of indecent images of children, a major setback for one of Britain’s best-known broadcasters.

Edwards, 63, who was a prominent figure in British journalism and notably announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, faced sentencing in a London court, where he was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. This means Edwards will avoid prison unless he commits another offence during that time.

In July, Edwards pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children, including 41 images sent to him via WhatsApp, including two explicit videos of a young child. The court heard some of the images fell into the most serious category of child exploitation material.

Prosecutor Ian Hope stressed that Edwards had marked the videos as “read” and actively asked if more of such content was available. This interaction was crucial to the charges against him, although it was acknowledged that Edwards had not produced these images himself.

Defence barrister Philip Evans argued that Edwards was suffering from significant mental and physical health problems at the time of the offences and claimed his client could not remember viewing the footage. Evans stressed that Edwards did not use the footage for personal gratification and expressed deep remorse for his actions.

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

Judge Paul Goldspring noted that Edwards’ reputation was now “in tatters” and noted that the personal impact on him was a direct result of his own conduct.

Claire Brinton, for the Crown Prosecution Service, condemned Edwards’ actions, saying: “Gaining access to indecent images of children perpetuates their sexual exploitation, causing deep and long-lasting trauma for these victims.”

The BBC, where Edwards had previously stood down on medical advice, said it was shocked by the revelations. “We are shocked by his crimes. He has betrayed not only the BBC but also the public who have placed their trust in him,” a spokesman for the broadcaster said.