The 63-year-old, who has been inseparable from the most significant events in the United Kingdom since the early 2000s, was convicted of possession of child pornography.
For a long time, he was the BBC's most famous journalist: Huw Edwards was sentenced Monday to a six-month suspended prison sentence and a mandatory treatment requirement for possession of child pornography, the conclusion of an embarrassing case for the British public media group. The 63-year-old former presenter, inseparable from the most significant events in the United Kingdom since the early 2000s, had pleaded guilty in July, thus avoiding a long media trial.
He faced a possible 10-year prison sentence, but the judge at Westminster Magistrates Court followed the prosecution's submissions, which highlighted his psychological problems and “sincere remorse” expressed. “Your reputation is in tatters”Judge Paul Goldspring told the presenter as he passed sentence. During the hearing, Huw Edwards' lawyer Philip Evans said his client acknowledged “the repulsive nature” images he had received and that he was “deeply sorry”.
“He betrayed the inestimable trust of so many people.”he insisted, while Huw Edwards had spoken at the start of the hearing only to confirm his identity. The affair had a huge impact in Great Britain and embarrassed the BBC. In early August, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “shocked and horrified”. “We are appalled by his crimes. He has not only betrayed the BBC, but also the public who trusted him.”a BBC spokesperson responded in a written statement.
Married and father of five children
Huw Edwards, married and father of five, was born in Wales. He joined the BBC in 1984. A political journalist, he became the presenter of the 6pm news in 1994, before becoming the face of the 10pm news. His calm demeanour, combined with the broadcaster's reputation for impartiality, made him a reliable and reassuring presence for millions of viewers.
From the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton (2011) to the announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II (2022): Huw Edwards was the highest-paid journalist with a salary for the year 2023/2024 of more than 475,000 pounds (more than 560,000 euros). His fall came abruptly, in the summer of 2023, when the tabloid The Sun claimed he paid a teenager for sexual photos and was suspended. No charges were filed at the time.
But new accusations led the courts to charge him in June 2024, two months after his resignation. This time, the investigation showed that Huw Edwards was in contact on WhatsApp with a man who sent him child pornography images. The charges against him concerned 41 images, some showing a child aged between seven and nine, received between December 2020 and August 2021.
BBC weakened
These illegal images found had been “clearly sent with Mr Edwards' agreement”according to the prosecution. Huw Edwards' lawyer insisted that his client had only received the footage, not shared it. The case has dealt a major blow to the BBC. Severely criticised for its handling of the scandal, it conducted an internal investigation concluding that its procedures for dealing with complaints about the behaviour of its employees were inadequate.
The audiovisual giant, which said “shocked” by the case, announced that it was seeking to recover the wages paid to its former presenter after his arrest last November. The group remains traumatized by its handling of several sex scandals, first and foremost the Jimmy Savile affair, which broke in 2012 a year after the death of this star presenter, who raped and sexually assaulted minors for decades.
The BBC, which is engaged in a major savings plan, draws the largest share of its income from the licence fee, 169.50 pounds sterling (200 euros). But this model has been criticised and it has recently launched a study to reform it.
