Huw Edwards is appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with making indecent images of children.
Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has arrived at court to answer charges of making 37 indecent images of children, including six of the most serious type.
Wearing a dark suit, blue tie and sunglasses, the 62-year-old was surrounded by police as he arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, with protesters gathered outside the court.
The veteran broadcaster faces three separate charges form incidents that allegedly took place between December 2020 and April 2022.
Of the 37 images , which were said to have been shared on WhatsApp, six fall under Category A – the most serious classification.
A further 12 are deemed as Category B and 19 have been grouped as Category C.
Ministry of Justice guidelines state that the definition of a “child” is anyone under 18. If found guilty, he could receive a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
Today marks his first court appearance following his initial arrest in November 2023. He was formally charged on June 26 this year and has been on bail since then.
Following the charges, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “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 November 8 2023. He was charged on Wednesday, June 26 following authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service.
“He has been bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, July 31. Media and the public are strongly reminded that this is an active case.”
Edwards formally resigned from the BBC in April this year after more than four decades working for the broadcaster.
In a statement released after his departure, the corporation said: “After 40 years of service, Huw has explained that his decision was made on the basis of medical advice from his doctors.
“The BBC has accepted his resignation which it believes will allow all parties to move forward. We don’t believe it appropriate to comment further.”
The married dad-of-five had been off air at the channel since July 2023 following reports claiming he had paid a young person for sexually explicit images.
Prior to this, he was the BBC’s flagship presenter and led the coverage of several royal events, including the late Queen’s funeral in 2022 and the King’s Coronation the following year.
Last week, despite not appearing on air, Edwards was named as one of the BBC’s highest-paid employees in its annual salary report.
The list, published on Tuesday, July 23, placed the former newsreader as the third top earner behind Gary Lineker and Zoe Ball.
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Source: New York Post