Former BBC News presenter Huw Edwards has been sentenced to a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
The disgraced broadcaster was also ordered to complete 25 rehabilitation sessions and 40 days of sex offender treatment.
Edwards appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday (September 16) for his sentencing, after previously pleading guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children in late July.
Related: BBC boss defends "fair and judicious" decisions over Huw Edwards
Edwards was charged in July for the offences that are alleged to have taken place between December 2020 and April 2022.
According to the Metropolitan Police, the three counts are based on 41 images shared on a WhatsApp chat, with seven of these images allegedly deemed category A images – the most serious classification of indecent images.
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Edwards is additionally accused of having 12 category B pictures and 22 category C photographs. The remaining indecent image – sent in August 2021 – was a category A film featuring a young boy.
Handing out the sentence, chief magistrate Paul Goldspring recognised Edwards' history of mental health issues.
"You did not keep them and you did not send them on to anyone else. I accept that you had issues with your mental health. The degree that you received sexual gratification from the images is difficult to assess," he said.
Edwards told the court he is "profoundly sorry" for his actions and apologised for "betraying the priceless trust and faith of so many people".
Following the sentencing, Claire Brinton of the CPS said: "Accessing indecent images of children perpetuates the sexual exploitation of them, which has deep, long-lasting trauma for these victims.
"The CPS and Metropolitan Police were able to prove that Edwards was receiving illegal images and videos involving children via WhatsApp.
"This prosecution sends a clear message that the CPS, working alongside the police, will work to bring to justice those who seek to exploit children, wherever that abuse takes place."
Following the sentencing, the BBC released a statement saying: "We are appalled by his crimes. He has betrayed not just the BBC, but audiences who put their trust in him."
Emily is an experienced freelance entertainment writer and editor, reporting on all things TV, film, soaps and showbiz. An NCTJ-qualified journalist, with a First Class Honours degree in Journalism from the University of Sussex, Emily is a former Deputy News Editor and Evening News Editor at Digital Spy. She has previously worked at Hello magazine, BBC South News and GoodtoKnow.
A small and big-screen obsessive – with subscriptions to every TV and film service under the sun – Emily knows her movie stars from soap stars, and is always clued up on the latest reality show dumping, just-dropped trailer or off-screen spat. She's interviewed a number of celebrities over the years, with highlights including The Masked Singer host Joel Dommett and GMB's Kate Garraway (who "loved" her trousers).
Emily counts Sharon Horgan and Julia Davis as her TV heroes, and is a loyal Wes Anderson fan. LinkedIn
News Editor, Digital Spy
Emma is an experienced entertainment news journalist with NCTJ accreditation and a First-Class Honours Degree in Journalism. Having started her career as a broadcast journalist, Emma’s voice has been heard on varying radio stations across the UK including Absolute, Magic, BBC Three Counties Radio, LBC London News and more.
Later specialising in multimedia entertainment news, Emma has brushed shoulders with numerous famous faces and interviewed the likes of Edward Norton, Margot Robbie, Sir Michael Palin, Rick Astley, and too many soap stars to count. Having produced a range of engaging news content over the years for brands such as 7Digital’s Entertainment News, Yahoo, and Express Online, Emma eventually joined Digital Spy in 2022 as Deputy News Editor, becoming Acting News Editor in 2023 and then News Editor in 2024.
While she’s gained lots of praise during celebrity interviews throughout her career, the most memorable compliment Emma’s ever received was when a Game of Thrones star remarked "Your teeth are stunning!". LinkedIn
