.png)
3 months ago
24
A mother who blew the whistle on Huw Edwards has revealed how she broke down in tears after hearing the disgraced BBC star had pleaded guilty to child porn offences.
She said it 'sickens' her knowing that the 62-year-old paedophile was under the possession of sexual videos of minors while also allegedly asking her own child for explicit photos.
Edwards was suspended in July 2023 over claims that he paid a young man for sexual images.
The family of the unnamed young person originally complained to the BBC about Edwards in May 2023, and he was publicly named by his wife as the well-known TV presenter at the centre of the allegations in July.
The Metropolitan Police later said that no criminal offence had taken place. 'These allegations did not form part of the matter which was considered by police in July 2023. They were investigated separately as a standalone case,' a police spokesperson said.
Disgraced former BBC News reader Huw Edwards is pictured leaving Westminster Magistrates' Court after pleading guilty to receiving indecent images of children
A court sketch showed Edwards standing in the dock after he pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children
Huw Edwards: A timeline of shame
Before pleading guilty to indecent images today, Edwards had faced an earlier scandal after being accused of paying a young person for sexually explicit images last year.
April 2023 - Police were contacted but 'no criminality was identified'.
May 18, 2023 - A family member of the young person made an in-person complaint about the behaviour of a BBC presenter.
May 19. 2023 - A complainant contacted the BBC in a 29-minute call to the BBC's audience services team, and the details were referred to the Corporate Investigations Team.
June 6, 2023 - After getting no reply to the email, the Corporate Investigations Team tries to call the complainant but the call does not connect.
July 5, 2023 - Edwards is last seen on air as he covered King Charles' visit to Scotland.
July 6, 2023 - The Sun informs BBC Press Office about allegations against the star presenter.
July 7, 2023 - The Sun published its exclusive which alleged that a BBC star, unnamed at the time, paid £35,000 for sexual content to someone beginning when they were 17. But a lawyer acting on behalf of the young person told The Sun there was 'no truth' to the claims.
July 9, 2023 - The BBC confirms that a male presenter has been suspended from all duties.
July 11, 2023 - Director-general of the BBC Tim Davie defends the delay in speaking to the BBC presenter.
July 12, 2023 - Huw Edwards is revealed as the BBC presented by his wife Vicky Flind.
July 13, 2023 - The Met Police said detectives from its specialist crime command have 'concluded their assessment and have determined there is no information to indicate that a criminal offence has been committed
November 8 - Edwards is arrested on suspicion of making indecent images of children.
April 22, 2024 - Edwards resigns from the BBC having not appeared on air for months.
June 26, 2024 - Edwards is charged with three counts of making indecent images of children.
July 29, 2024 - Met Police first reveal the charges against Edwards in a press statement.
July 31, 2024 - Edwards appears at Westminster Magistrates' Court and pleads guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, between December 2020 and August 2022.
September 16, 2024 - This is when Edwards will be sentenced
Speaking to The Sun, the mother who first reported Edwards, said: 'It sickens me to my core that he had those videos of that little boy when he was also talking to my child and asking them for sexual pictures. I knew he was an abuser — but now I know he is truly a monster.'
Edwards was arrested on November 8 2023 for making indecent images of children and charged on June 26.
In April, he resigned from the BBC 'on the basis of medical advice from his doctors' but was still the highest paid journalist at the corporation last year.
Edwards today pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, which included two sexual videos of a boy under nine.
The veteran news reader received seven category 'A' images of the very worst kind on his phone and was sent them on WhatsApp by a paedophile.
He had a total of 41 foul images, showing youngsters between the age of seven and 14, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard today.
The mother who first blew the whistle said there were times she 'wanted to die' after people attacked her over the allegations she made, which were published by The Sun.
She told the newspaper: 'I thought perhaps it was best if I wasn't here anymore. I felt the whole world was against me.
The youngster's stepfather, who originally made the complaint, added: 'Everyone who doubted us needs to take accountability.
'We never wanted to take it further, but the BBC didn't listen. We feel so sorry for his wife and children and our hearts go out to them.'
After Edwards appeared at court, the BBC revealed that it was told in November 2023, when Edwards was suspended, that he had been arrested on 'suspicion of serious offences', five months before he resigned from the corporation in April.
In a statement, the broadcaster claimed Edwards would have been dismissed 'immediately' if he was charged while still an employee at the corporation.
The widely issued statement was shared to BBC staff with an internal note co-signed by the corporation's director general Tim Davie, Deborah Turness, chief executive of BBC News & Current Affairs, and group chief operating officer Leigh Tavaziva.
The note said: 'Many of you will have seen the news today that Huw Edwards has pleaded guilty to charges against him.
'We are appalled by this news - there can be no place for such behaviour.'
Following on from the official BBC statement, the co-signed note to staff added: 'Some of you may feel shocked and saddened by this news and some of you will have worked closely with Huw Edwards over the years.
'Many of you will be working on this story, and we want to thank you for your professionalism in carrying on with your jobs in difficult circumstances'.
The note ended saying if staff had 'been affected in any way by today's news please do make full use of our wellbeing resources', which include the 'free, confidential employee assistance programme and the BBC's peer support network'.
Edwards is pictured leaving the court after his brief appearance where he admitted to making indecent images of children
Edwards made his way through the media melee before being driven away in a black Mercedes
So what is 'making an image'?
The court's interpretation of 'making' indecent images is broad and can confuse those outside the legal profession.
Simply opening an email attachment, downloading an indecent image or storing it on a device can constitute an offence. Zita Spencer, partner at Olliers Solicitors, said: 'Making means creating it on your device. People can get it confused with 'production', which is actually taking the photo itself.'
It is not necessary to have intentionally saved an indecent image to a device to be found guilty. Ms Spencer said Edwards would have had a defence had he been sent the images unsolicited and immediately deleted them.
Welsh broadcaster Edwards, 62, resigned from the corporation in April 2024 and had been off air since July last year.
On Wednesday, a court heard he was involved in an online chat with an adult man on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021, who sent him 377 sexual images.
During that period, he anchored coverage of major national events for the BBC and had presented the BBC's News At Ten for decades.
During his four decades at the corporation, he was among the broadcasting teams leading coverage of historic events including the late Queen's funeral in 2022 and most recently the coronation of the King in May 2023.
Edwards, a married father of five, also announced the late Queen's death on the BBC in September 2022.
English (US)