Former friend of Huw Edwards brands child porn charges horrible and disgusting as fallen star pleads

By Emily Jane Davies and Martin Robinson Chief Reporter Published: 15:24 BST, 31 July 2024 | Updated: 17:22 BST, 31 July 2024 963 View comments A former friend of Huw Edwards has branded the charges against him ‘horrible and disgusting’ after the fallen star pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children.Gay porno The Welshman is facing up to 10 years in jail after he admitted to keeping seven category ‘A’ images of the very worst kind on his phone after being sent them on WhatsApp. The stash of 41 images showed youngsters aged between seven and 14, with the veteran news broadcaster today pleading guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, between December 2020 and August 2022. Edwards’ former colleague Sir Craig Oliver said that while the renowned presenter could be ‘difficult’, everyone who knows him will be ‘shocked’ at the admission. He added there were questions raised about whether the 62-year-old was ‘throwing his weight around’ and misbehaving while at the BBC. Another former friend of the star said: ‘It’s a mess – and tragic for all concerned’, adding that if the charges are true it is ‘also horrible and disgusting’. The downfall of one of Britain’s most trusted voices who spent 40 years at the BBC has astounded those who know him and those who have watched him on TV. Edwards was surrounded by media as he left the court in central London today The famed former newsreader’s career now lies in tatters  (pictured entering court today) Edwards’ former colleague Sir Craig Oliver (pictured) said that while the renowned presenter could be ‘difficult’, everyone who knows him will be ‘shocked’ at the admission Sir Craig said the former presenter could be a ‘very, very difficult and complicated’ man who ‘clashed with staff’ but that he did not think anyone suspected he had child abuse images. Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s World At One, Sir Craig, who edited the Ten O’Clock News and Six O’Clock News while Edwards was working there, said people had concerns about whether he was behaving well enough to other employees. ‘He could be a very, very difficult and complicated man. He would speak about being prone to bouts of depression and sometimes he clashed with staff.  ‘But I think that most people who know him will be shocked that he’s pleaded guilty to this,’ Sir Craig said. Asked whether he had heard any gossip about Edwards’ private life, he said: ‘When I was working with Huw which is well over 10 years ago now there wasn’t gossip about his private life then, but as the years have passed and as it got closer to the initial complaint that was made about him, there was gossip about his private life, what was going on. ‘There were also, I think, a number of people who were worried about his behaviour within the BBC – was he actually throwing his weight around and behaving well enough to other staff?  ‘But I don’t think anybody suspected that there was child abuse imagery in his private life in any way, shape or form.’ Edwards was flanked by police officers when he turned up for court on Wednesday Protesters stood outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court holding placards this morning  Edwards was arrested on November 8 last year and charged on June 26. He resigned from his £475,000-a-year role at BBC three months ago having kept news of his arrest a ‘secret’ from pals, former colleagues said. The father-of-five moved out of the family home in Dulwich after separating from his TV producer wife, Vicky Flind. Edwards, of Wandsworth, southwest London, spoke to confirm his date of birth, address and admit the three charges. After entering his pleas, the disgraced newsreader sat staring into the distance, with his head tilted slightly upwards, and adjusted his tie as Ian Hope, prosecuting, laid out the case against him. The court heard that Edwards had been involved in online chat with an adult man on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021, who sent him 377 sexual images, of which 44 were indecent images of children. The bulk of these, 36, were sent during a two-month period. Mr Hope told the court there was ‘no suggestion’ Edwards had ‘anything to with making the images or indeed doing anything beyond the opening of the images.’ He said the Welshman ‘engaged in an online chat’ with a ‘male’ who ‘initially contacted’ him via social media. The presenter did not appear to say anything to the media as he was led into the court This was the moment Edwards entered his car before being driven away from the court He now faces up to 10 years in jail for his crimes. Edwards is pictured leaving the court Mr Hope said a ‘thread of WhatsApp conversations between the two’ was ‘uncovered’, adding: ‘In the thread the man sent still and moving pornographic images to Edwards between December and April 2022. ‘The prosecution say that this was clearly with Mr Edwards’ approval, and the two chatted about a number of the images sent. ‘Approximately 277 images were sent to Mr Edwards, 41 of which comprised indecent images of children – so just over 10 per cent of the total number of images sent. ‘The bulk of those indecent images of children – 36 of them – were sent to Mr Edwards during a two month period between December 2020 and February 2021, and indeed the bulk of those were sent over a two day period.’ The prosecutor said ‘these images appeared to have been received with approval.’ Speaking in Edwards’ defence, his barrister Philip Evans KC said: ‘There’s no suggestion in this case that Mr Edwards has… in the traditional sense of the word, created any image of any sort. Friends of the ex-BBC News host said he kept his arrest ‘a secret’ and that they were stunned when news he had been charged was revealed this week Edwards has since left the family home and has reportedly split with his TV producer wife, Vicky Flind (the pair are pictured together in 2018 in London) Before pleading guilty to indecent images today, Edwards had faced an earlier scandal after being accused of paying a young person for sexually explicit images last year. April 2023 – Police were contacted but ‘no criminality was identified’. May 18, 2023 – A family member of the young person, who was 17 at the time, made an in-person complaint about the behaviour of a BBC presenter. May 19. 2023 – A complainant contacted the BBC in a 29-minute call to the BBC’s audience services team, and the details were referred to the Corporate Investigations Team.  June 6, 2023 –  After getting no reply to the email, the Corporate Investigations Team tries to call the complainant but the call does not connect. July 5, 2023 – Edwards is last seen on air as he covered King Charles’ visit to Scotland. July 6, 2023 – The Sun informs BBC Press Office about allegations against the star presenter. July 7, 2023 – The Sun published its exclusive which alleged that a BBC star, unnamed at the time, paid £35,000 for sexual content to someone beginning when they were 17.  But a lawyer acting on behalf of the young person told The Sun there was ‘no truth’ to the claims. July 9, 2023 – The BBC confirms that a male presenter has been suspended from all duties.  July 11, 2023 – Director-general of the BBC Tim Davie defends the delay in speaking to the BBC presenter.  July 12, 2023 – Huw Edwards is revealed as the BBC presented by his wife Vicky Flind. July 13, 2023 – The Met Police said detectives from its specialist crime command have ‘concluded their assessment and have determined there is no information to indicate that a criminal offence has been committed November 8 – Edwards is arrested on suspicion of making indecent images of children.  April 22, 2024 – Edwards resigns from the BBC having not appeared on air for months.  June 26, 2024 – Edwards is charged with three counts of making indecent images of children.  July 29, 2024 – Met Police first reveal the charges against Edwards in a press statement.  July 31, 2024 – Edwards appears at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and pleads guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, between December 2020 and August 2022. September 16, 2024 – This is when Edwards will be sentenced ‘It is important also to remember for context that devices, Mr Edwards’ devices, have been seized, have been searched, and there’s nothing in those devices. ‘It is only the images that are the subject of the charges that came via a WhatsApp chat. Mr Edwards 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 the broadcaster had ‘both mental and physical’ health issues. He told the court: ‘It is obvious to the court, I’m sure, that Mr Edwards was not just of good character, but of exceptional character.’ Edwards presented the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and Platinum Jubilee in 2022, the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (now the Prince and Princess of Wales) in 2011 and also the funeral of Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 2021. The reputation of the BBC has been destroyed by one paedophile scandal after another dating back over half a century – with Edwards becoming the latest child sex fiend to have been employed by the corporation. The bombshell news of the veteran broadcaster’s child porn charges are said to have rocked Edwards’ former colleagues. And it prompted questions about why it took prosecutors so long to reveal the charges Edwards is now facing. One former colleague and friend told MailOnline: ‘Huw kept his arrest completely secret’. ‘It turns out he was arrested four months later and nobody knew. I had no idea until he was charged’, the friend from the BBC said. Another former colleague of the star said: ‘It’s a mess – and tragic for all concerned.’ The BBC was also blindsided by the criminal charges against its former star presenter, with bosses only told of the allegations a few hours before they were made public, an insider has claimed. A senior source told The Times: ‘The BBC was informed by the Met Police when a call came through [on Monday].’ News of Edwards’ guilty plea was welcomed by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) today, who said it would ‘send a clear message’ that offenders would be brought to justice. Claire Brinton of the CPS said: ‘Accessing indecent images of underage people perpetuates the sexual exploitation of children, which has deep, long-lasting trauma on these victims. ‘The CPS and the Metropolitan Police were able to prove that Edwards was receiving illegal material involving children via WhatsApp. ‘This prosecution sends a clear message that the CPS, working alongside with the police, will work to bring to justice those who seek to exploit children, wherever that abuse takes place.’ A spokesperson for child abuse charity the NSPCC added: ‘Online child sexual abuse offences can have a devastating impact on victims and we should be in 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.’ Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group