Back to the case of ex-BBC presenter Huw Edwards, who has this afternoon been charged with making indecent images of children. Edwards was suspended by the Beeb in July 2023 after the Sun reported allegations that he had solicited explicit images from a young man. He subsequently resigned from the Corporation in April this year, citing medical reasons. Now Edwards faces three charges over alleged indecent activity, linked to shared WhatsApp images according to the police, dating between December 2020 and April 2022.
It transpires that after being arrested by the Metropolitan police last November, Edwards was formally charged last month. And on Wednesday this week, the former presenter will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. If found guilty, the offences could result in a jail sentence of up to 10 years.
A Met police spokesperson has confirmed the charges 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 8 November 2023. He was charged on Wednesday, 26 June following authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service. He has been bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 31 July. Media and the public are strongly reminded that this is an active case. Nothing should be published, including on social media, which could prejudice future court proceedings.
The news comes just days after the BBC’s annual accounts revealed he was handed a £40,000 pay hike this year – despite not having worked for most of the last 12 months.
