BBC's former lead news presenter pleads guilty to 3 counts of making indecent images of children

LONDON -- Huw Edwards, the BBC's former top news presenter, pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of making indecent images of children as he admitted accessing photographs sent to him by a man via the WhatsApp messaging service.

During a 26-minute hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London, the court heard that an unnamed man contacted Edwards via social media and sent hundreds of sexual images on WhatsApp between December 2020 and April 2022.

Of the 377 sexual images sent, 41 were indecent images of children. Seven of those were classified as “category A,” which were the most indecent, with the estimated age of most of the children between 13 and 15, though one was aged between 7 and 9.

The final indecent image was sent in August 2021, a “category A” film featuring a young boy. The man told Edwards the child was “quite young looking” and that he had more images which were illegal. Edwards then told him not to send any illegal images and no more such indecent images were sent, though the pair continued to exchange legal pornographic images until April 2022.

“Accessing indecent images of underage people perpetuates the sexual exploitation of children, which has deep, long-lasting trauma on these victims,” said Claire Brinton of the Crown Prosecution Service, which decides whether a case should go to court.

Edwards, who was the lead anchor on the BBC’s nighttime news for two decades and led the public broadcaster's coverage of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 as well as election specials, has been remanded on bail until a pre-sentencing hearing on Sept. 16. He could face up to 10 years in prison, though the prosecution conceded that a suspended sentence may be appropriate.

Edwards, who was one of the BBC’s top earners, was suspended in July 2023 for separate claims made last year. He later resigned for health reasons. He had not been seen in public until Wednesday's hearing.

Speaking in Edwards’ defense, lawyer Philip Evans said there is “no suggestion” that his client had “in the traditional sense of the word, created any image of any sort.”

Edwards, he added, "did not keep any images, did not send any to anyone else, and did not and has not sought similar images from anywhere else.” He added that Edwards had “both mental and physical” health issues and that he is "not just of good character, but of exceptional character.”

Prosecutor Ian Hope told the court that Edwards' “genuine remorse” was one reason why a suspended sentence might be considered. Setting out the potential penalties under the law, he said that where there is the prospect of rehabilitation, a community order and sexual offender treatment program could be considered as alternatives to prison.

A spokesperson for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said there should be “no doubt” about the seriousness of Edwards' crimes.

“It can be extremely traumatic for young people to know sexual images of themselves have been shared online," the spokesperson said. “We also need to see online platforms do much more to identify and disrupt child abuse in private messaging services in order to safeguard young people.”