Huw Edwards, the former BBC presenter, has pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. Edwards, 62, admitted to the offences, which occurred between December 2020 and April 2022, during his appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Edwards, dressed in a dark suit and tie, briefly glanced at the press seated in the public gallery before fixing his gaze straight ahead as the proceedings began. After admitting to the charges, he sat staring into the distance, occasionally adjusting his tie, while Ian Hope, the prosecuting barrister, detailed the case against him.
The court was informed that Edwards had engaged in an online conversation with an adult man on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021. During this period, the man sent Edwards a total of 377 sexual images, of which 41 were identified as indecent images of children. The majority of these images, 36 in total, were sent within a two-month span.
On 2 February 2021, the man questioned whether the content he was sending was “too young,” to which Edwards responded by advising him not to send any underage images, the court heard. Despite this, the indecent images sent included seven category A images (the most severe), 12 category B images, and 22 category C images. Most of the children in the category A images were estimated to be between 13 and 15 years old, although one child was between seven and nine years old.
The last indecent image was sent in August 2021 and was described as a category A film featuring a young boy. The man informed Edwards that the boy looked quite young and mentioned having more illegal images. Edwards instructed him not to send any illegal images, and no further indecent images were sent. The pair continued to exchange legal pornographic images until April 2022.
Edwards faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for his crimes. He had a distinguished 40-year career at the BBC, becoming a prominent figure in the broadcaster’s coverage of major political and royal events. At the time of his resignation in April, which was on medical grounds, Edwards was the BBC’s highest-paid newsreader. His resignation followed his suspension by the broadcaster in July of the previous year over allegations that he had received inappropriate images from a younger person and given them money.
Edwards was accompanied by eight police officers upon his arrival at the court, and a photographer’s camera was smashed in the resulting commotion.
