July 31st 2024.
Today, it has been reported that former BBC presenter Huw Edwards will be making an appearance in court. The 62-year-old is facing charges of making indecent images of children, with three offences allegedly committed between December 2020 and April 2022. According to the Metropolitan Police, Edwards was arrested in November last year and was charged on June 26, following an investigation.
A spokesperson for the Met Police released a statement saying, "Huw Edwards, 62, of Southwark, London has been charged with three counts of making indecent images of children following a Met Police investigation. The offences, which are alleged to have taken place between December 2020 and April 2022, relate to images shared on a WhatsApp chat. Edwards was arrested on November 8, 2023 and was charged on Wednesday, June 26 following authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service."
The statement also reminded the media and the public that this is an active case, and nothing should be published or shared on social media that could potentially prejudice future court proceedings. This was echoed by a spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service, who emphasized the importance of a fair trial for the defendant.
But what exactly does "making indecent images" mean? According to the CPS, it can include various actions such as opening an email attachment containing an image, downloading an image from a website, storing an image on a computer, accessing a pornographic website, and even receiving an image on social media. It is considered "making" rather than "possessing" because even if the image is not accessible to the suspect, the evidence may show that they knowingly made the image.
The charge sheet states that Edwards is accused of having six category A images, 12 category B pictures, and 19 category C photographs on WhatsApp. These offences are contrary to sections 1 and 6 of the Protection of Children Act 1978, and if found guilty, he could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Edwards, who was one of the BBC's most prominent and highest-paid news anchors, left the corporation in April on medical grounds after working there for 40 years. During his career, he anchored BBC's News At Ten for 20 years and presented coverage of major national events, including the announcement of Queen Elizabeth II's death and her funeral.
He was also the BBC's highest-paid newsreader, with a reported salary of £475,000 to £479,999 for 160 presenting days and other television programming. However, he resigned from the BBC this year following allegations that he paid a young person for sexually explicit pictures. He has not appeared on screens since the story broke in July 2023, and his exit from the BBC has since been confirmed.
Edwards, who is currently on bail, is expected to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. If you have any information or a story to share, please contact the entertainment team at The Agency by emailing us, calling 020 3615 2145, or visiting our Submit Stuff page. We would love to hear from you.
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