Huw Edwards given six month suspended prison sentence for accessing indecent images of children

Delivering the verdict, the judge referenced Edwards' mental health as potentially impairing his 'decision making', as ITV News Correspondent John Ray reports

Disgraced former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has been sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to accessing indecent images of children as young as seven.

In July, the former broadcaster admitted three charges of "making" indecent photographs after convicted paedophile Alex Williams sent him 41 illegal images over WhatsApp.

The chief magistrate, District Judge Paul Goldspring, went through the mitigating factors he was taking into account in sentencing Edwards.

He said he believed the former broadcaster’s remorse was genuine and that his mental health at the time of the offences could have impaired his decision-making.

But the judge added the financial and reputational damage Edwards suffered was “the natural consequence of your behaviour which you brought upon yourself”.

He continued: “I am of the clear view that you do not present a risk or danger to the public at large, specifically to children.

“There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”

The judge declined to make a sexual harm prevention order against Edwards.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it was “for the court to decide” Edwards’ sentence and that he was “shocked and appalled” by the case.

Speaking to reporters in Rome, Starmer said: “I’m really shocked in relation to the Huw Edwards case, really shocked and appalled, as I’m sure everybody who has read or looked at it is.”

When asked about his opinion on suspended sentences in such cases and whether he would consider a review, he replied: “As far as the sentence is concerned, I mean, that is for the court to decide, having looked at all the available evidence.

"I have also been busy all day so I haven’t looked at it, and I’m not going to get into the business of commenting on court sentences. That is a matter for the court.

“But was I shocked by what I have seen and heard? You bet I was.”

'Hundreds of pounds sent to paedophile in response to images'

Edwards sent hundreds of pounds to Williams “apparently off the back of (him) sending pornographic images to Mr Edwards”.

Prosecutor Ian Hope said: “It is clear from the face of the WhatsApp chat recovered that a deal of the chat between Alex Williams and Mr Edwards was sexual in nature.

"It is also clear that Mr Edwards was paying not insignificant sums of money – low hundreds of pounds on an occasional basis - to Alex Williams which Mr Williams directly asked for on several occasions, as gifts or presents, apparently off the back of sending pornographic images to Mr Edwards, about which images they chatted.

“Alex Williams has stated that the money was more generally to support him at university and amounted to around £1,000 to £1,500.”

Edwards said 'yes' to sexual images of person aged 'between 14 and 16

Hope said that Edwards responded "yes xxx" when Williams asked him if he wanted sexual images of a person whose “age could be discerned as being between 14 and 16”.

But, Edwards did not respond after Williams sent him a sexual video of children aged around seven to nine and 11 to 13.

"On February 19, 2021, Alex Williams asked ‘is the stuff I’m sending too young for you?’

“The next response from Mr Edwards is dated February 22, 2021, saying ‘don’t send underage’."

However, Hope said in August 2021 Williams "says he has some ‘naughty pics and vids unsure if you’d like’. Mr Edwards tells him to 'go on' and Williams states 'yng'".

The prosecutor added: "Williams sends a category A moving image showing a male child aged around 7 to 9.

“Alex Williams says the subject is ‘quite yng looking’ to which Mr Edwards responds it ‘can be deceptive’ and asks if he has ‘any more?’

“Alex Williams says he has but he is not sure if Mr Edwards would like them as they are illegal.

“Mr Edwards says ‘Ah OK don’t’ and the exchange immediately following concerns a series of images which Alex Williams describes as ‘looks young don’t he but he’s deffo 19.’"

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'Edwards told Williams not to send images of people underage'

Philip Evans KC, defending, said Edwards did not make payments to Williams in order to receive indecent images of children.

Mr Evans told the court: “Mr Edwards positively told Mr Williams not to send images of people who were underage.”

He added that Edwards did "not use them for any personal gratification and he did not gain any gratification from those indecent images.“

Edwards 'truly sorry' for damage to 'family and his loved ones'

Evans told the court that the former presenter "knows he has hurt and he has damaged his family and his loved ones around him".

“For all of this, he is truly sorry and he is truly sorry he has committed these offences.”

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