'The British justice system is ludicrous, absurd and embarrassing': Campaigners' fury at Huw Edwards' suspended sentence as they fear it will encourage abusers to offend By Rory Tingle, Home Affairs Correspondent and Martin Robinson, Chief Reporter Published: 10:26, 17 September 2024 | Updated: 10:31, 17 September 2024 e-mail View comments A child sex abuse campaigner today branded the justice system 'ludicrous, absurd and embarrassing' after Huw Edwards was spared jail for viewing sick images of youngsters as young as seven . The ex-newsreader was handed a six-month suspended sentence after admitting three charges of 'making' indecent photographs after he was sent 41 illegal images by convicted paedophile Alex Williams. The 63-year-old wired hundreds of pounds to Williams, who sent him porn, some of which he called 'amazing'.
The disgraced broadcaster had also told the convicted paedophile 'go on' when asked if he wanted 'naughty pics and vids' of somebody described as young. Edwards wrote 'yes xxx' when he was asked by Williams if he wanted sexual images of a person whose 'age could be discerned as being between 14 and 16'. He was also sent two pornographic videos of a child aged between seven and nine-years-old.
Emma-Jane Taylor, who founded the Not My Shame social media movement last year, claimed the sentence Edwards' received could encourage other abusers. Huw Edwards leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court after being spared jail yesterday Edwards held his hands together and steadied himself as Chief Magistrate, district judge Paul Goldspring, sentenced him yesterday Emma-Jane Taylor, who founded the Not My Shame social media movement last year, claimed the sentence Edwards' received could encourage other abusers She told Good Morning Britain : 'This potentially green lights another more serious situation for a child. It puts children at risks because abusers will look at this and think ''actually, this guy's got off, he's gone home, I'll give it a go''.
'The justice system in the UK is ludicrous. It's absurd, embarrassing and it's not going to protect children.' Edwards' former BBC colleagues are disgusted by his crimes and believe he should have been sent to prison, MailOnline revealed yesterday.
A BBC spokesperson said after its former broadcaster Huw Edwards was sentenced: 'We are appalled by his crimes . He has betrayed not just the BBC, but audiences who put their trust in him.' Read More EXCLUSIVE Neighbours near paedophile who sold Huw Edwards child abuse images say both should have been jailed Director General Tim Davie is yet to comment but one former colleague told MailOnline yesterday: 'He should be in prison.
He was chatting with a paedo for four years who then sent him child porn. And he didn't go to the police. Yet he's in court trying to suggest he is a victim.
It would be laughable if it wasn't so abhorrent'. A well-placed source with links to the BBC and ITV has said that the evidence that emerged in court against Edwards is so shocking he will never work again. 'He is over', he said, adding: 'The BBC must be broken up' due to the way bosses handled the scandal and his suspension.
He said that yet another abuse scandal after Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris is 'killing its legacy'. Edwards, who resigned from the BBC in April, has been asked to repay the £200,000 salary he has received since his arrest . He has so far refused.
And will also keep his pension. BBC staff have described being 'warned' about 'thin-skinned' Edwards when they started working there - and said that he should be put in prison for what he has done. Culture and Media Editor Katie Razzall said that when she joined the corporation, she was given specific advice about how to handle the disgraced newsreader.
'You can be funny', they said. 'But don't be funnier than Huw',', adding: 'You can be clever, but don't be too clever',' Ms Razzall revealed. A mugshot released of the presenter by Scotland Yard showed him staring at the camera MailOnline can reveal there is great animosity towards him at the Beeb, who have been rocked by yet another child sex scandal after Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris .
One BBC staffer said: 'He still hasn't repaid his salary and dragged us through the mud again. 'Many at the BBC want him to pay for what he has done. He has played the system'.
A former colleague said: 'Huw had huge talent and presence but has always been very prickly and thin-skinned'. At Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday, Edwards held his hands together and leaned forward throughout his sentencing hearing. He then let out a 'small sigh' as he was handed six months' imprisonment, suspended for two years.
Read More Mother of teen Huw Edwards groomed says it's shocking phone he got sick images on was NEVER found Edwards s miled broadly as he left the courtroom accompanied by a member of his legal team - carrying the same small suitcase he had brought with him, possibly in anticipation of being jailed. He later walked onto the street with his legal team before being driven away in a black Mercedes. A mugshot released of the presenter showed him staring at the camera - dead eyed and gaunt - with silver stubble across his face.
Westminster Magistrates' Court heard Edwards told Williams 'go on' when asked if he wanted 'naughty pics and vids' of somebody described as 'yng (sic)'. The court also heard Edwards paid Williams hundreds of pounds after he sent him pornographic images, but his defence barrister Philip Evans KC said the broadcaster did not make payments to Williams in order to receive indecent images of children . The prosecution said Williams asked Edwards for a ' Christmas gift after all the hot videos'.
Prosecutor Ian Hope said: 'Alex Williams says he wants some Air Force 1 trainers that cost around £100, and Mr Edwards offers to send him £200.' Of the indecent images he received, the estimated age of most of the children was between 13 and 15, but one was aged between seven and nine. Defence barrister Philip Evans KC said Edwards was 'truly sorry' and 'recognises the repugnant nature' of the images sent to him.
The journalist claimed alcohol and the decline in his mental health played a part in the sick chats. The BBC said following the sentencing: 'We are appalled by his crimes. He has betrayed not just the BBC, but audiences who put their trust in him.
' Huw Edwards leaving Westminster Magistrates' Court with his legal team following his sentencing yesterday He did not make any comment to journalists before being driven away in a black Mercedes after his sentencing Edwards pictured with his wife Vicky Flind in London in 2018. She named him as the high-profile presenter as the centre of a sexual pictures scandal Alex Williams, 25, shared indecent images with Huw Edwards that led to the newsreader's downfall. Williams is pictured here as a teenager on a family trip to a Welsh beauty spot Sentencing Edwards, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told the broadcaster: 'Perhaps it does not need saying but you are of previous good character.
' The judge said he accepted the journalist had been of 'exemplary' good character 'having enjoyed a very successful career in the media'. 'It's obvious that until now you were very highly regarded by the public,' he continued, adding that Edwards was 'perhaps the most recognised newsreader-journalist'. What does 'making' indecent images mean? Huw Edwards pleaded guilty to three counts of 'making' indecent images of children in July.
The Crown Prosecution Service says it can include: opening an email attachment containing an image downloading an image from a website to a screen storing an image on a computer accessing a pornographic website in which an image appears in an automatic 'pop-up' window receiving an image via social media, even if unsolicited and even if part of a group or live-streaming images of children A court must also decide whether an offence calls into the category of possession, distribution or production. Advertisement 'It is not an exaggeration to say your long-earned reputation is in tatters,' the judge said. He also told Edwards he would be subject to 25 rehabilitation sessions and be placed on the sex offender treatment programme for 40 days.
Edwards was also ordered to pay £3,000 in prosecution costs. The judge continued: 'I am of the clear view that you do not present a risk or danger to the public at large, specifically to children. There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
' He declined to make a sexual harm prevention order against Edwards. The final indecent image was sent in August 2021, a category A film featuring a young boy, with convicted paedophile Williams telling the newsreader the child was 'quite young looking' and that he had more images which were illegal. Mr Goldspring said he accepted that Edwards had no memory of which images he viewed due to a mental disorder at the time of his offending and suggested the former BBC man had been facing 'a perfect storm' at the time.
The magistrate quoted a report by a psycho-sexual therapist who said Edwards had a risk of taking his own life and is a 'complex individual' due to factors in his childhood, including a complex relationship with his 'puritanical' father. Edwards nodded as this reference to his personal history was read out. Outlining the evidence against the veteran broadcaster earlier, prosecutor Ian Hope said: 'It is clear from the face of the WhatsApp chat recovered that a deal of the chat between Alex Williams and Mr Edwards was sexual in nature.
'It is also clear that Mr Edwards was paying not insignificant sums of money - low hundreds of pounds on an occasional basis - to Alex Williams which Mr Williams directly asked for on several occasions, as gifts or presents, apparently off the back of sending pornographic images to Mr Edwards, about which images they chatted. 'Alex Williams has stated that the money was more generally to support him at university and amounted to around £1,000 to £1,500.' Edwards made no comment as he left court wheeling the same black case he arrived with The shamed former BBC star was accompanied by members of his legal team Mr Hope continued: 'From that chat in December 2020, Alex Williams said that he had 'a file of vids and pics for you of someone special'.
'Mr Edwards immediately queried who the subject was and was then sent three images of seemingly the same person, from two of which images the subject's age could be discerned as being between 14 and 16. 'These two were category C indecent images of children in which the child was exposing his penis.' BBC Huw Edwards Share or comment on this article: 'The British justice system is ludicrous, absurd and embarrassing': Campaigners' fury at Huw Edwards' suspended sentence as they fear it will encourage abusers to offend e-mail Add comment.
