Huw Edwards has pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs of a child.
The disgraced ex-BBC presenter admitted to committing three criminal offences between December 2020 and April 2022 at a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Wednesday (July 31). The 62-year-old, who appeared at court wearing a black suit and sunglasses, looked emotionless during his plea.
After admitting guilt, relating to 41 illegal images of a child, the newsreader stared into the distance with his head tilted upwards. He was seen adjusting his tie as prosecutor Ian Hope laid out the case against him.
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The court heard that Edwards had been involved in an online chat with an adult man on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021, who sent him 377 sexual images. 41 of these were indecent images of children.
(Image: GC Images)
Most of these, 36, were sent during a two-month period. On February 2 2021, the man asked whether the images of children he was sending Edwards was too young. Edwards replied, telling him not to send any underage images, the court heard.
The indecent images that were sent included seven category A, the worst, 12 category B, and 22 category C. For the category A images, the estimated age of most of the children was between 13 and 15, with one aged between seven and nine, the court heard.
(Image: Getty Images)
The final indecent image, sent in August 2021, was a category A film featuring a young boy. The man told Edwards that the boy was quite young looking, and that he had more images which were illegal.
Mr Edwards told him not to send any illegal images, the court was told. No more were sent, and the pair continued to exchange legal pornographic images until April 2022.
Edwards’ defence lawyer, Philip Evans KC, said there was no suggestion the axed broadcaster had made or created any of the images and that the images were only in his WhatsApp. He said Edwards did not keep or send images and did not get images from elsewhere.
(Image: BBC)
Category A images, the most serious kind, involve penetrative sexual activity, while category B pictures involve non-penetrative sexual activity. Category C images do not depict any sexual activity.
Edwards will be sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on September 16.
Claire Brinton from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: “Accessing indecent images of underage people perpetuates the sexual exploitation of children, which has deep, long-lasting trauma on these victims.
“The CPS and the Metropolitan Police were able to prove that Edwards was receiving illegal material involving children via WhatsApp.
“This prosecution sends a clear message that the CPS, working alongside with the police, will work to bring to justice those who seek to exploit children, wherever that abuse takes place.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
