Huw Edwards was arrested for making indecent images of children in November but was still getting paid by the BBC, despite the corporation being aware.

The BBC were aware that Huw Edwards had been arrested for making indecent images of children.

The 62-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (July 31) and pleaded guilty to three offences, which took place between December 2020 and April 2022.

He was first arrested by police in November. A BBC spokesperson has spoken out following Edwards’ guilty plea, revealing the BBC were made aware of his arrest last year.

The statement said: “The BBC is shocked to hear the details which have emerged in court today. There can be no place for such abhorrent behaviour and our thoughts are with all those affected.

“The police have confirmed that the charges are not connected to the original complaint raised with the BBC in the summer of 2023, nevertheless in the interests of transparency we think it important to set out some points about events of the last year.”

The BBC spokesperson continued: “In November 2023, whilst Mr Edwards was suspended, the BBC as his employer at the time was made aware in confidence that he had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences and released on bail whilst the police continued their investigation.

“At the time, no charges had been brought against Mr Edwards and the BBC had also been made aware of significant risk to his health. Today we have learnt of the conclusion of the police process in the details as presented to the court.”

They claimed the broadcaster would have immediately dismissed Edwards if he had been charged, adding: “If at any point during the period Mr Edwards was employed by the BBC he had been charged, the BBC had determined it would act immediately to dismiss him. In the end, at the point of charge he was no longer an employee of the BBC.

“During this period, in the usual way, the BBC has kept its corporate management of these issues separate from its independent editorial functions. We want to reiterate our shock at Mr Edwards’ actions and our thoughts remain with all those affected.”

The BBC star was emotionless while the court heard that he had been involved in online chat with an adult man on WhatsApp, who sent him 377 sexual images, of which 41 were indecent images of children.

He was later spotted leaving court in a black Mercedes as he faced a barrage of journalists and photographers.
In a shocking turn of events, Huw Edwards, a BBC star, was arrested for creating indecent images of children. Despite the BBC being aware of his arrest, he continued to receive payment from the corporation.

The 62-year-old pleaded guilty to three offenses that occurred between December 2020 and April 2022, with his initial arrest taking place in November.

The BBC released a statement expressing their shock at the details that emerged in court and stating that there is no place for such abhorrent behavior.

The BBC spokesperson revealed that they were informed of Edwards’ arrest in confidence in November 2023 while he was suspended from his job.

They emphasized that no charges had been brought against him at that time, and the BBC was also made aware of significant health risks to Edwards. The broadcaster made it clear that they would have taken immediate action to dismiss Edwards if he had been charged. Ultimately, he was no longer an employee of the BBC at the time of his charges.

During this tumultuous period, the BBC maintained a separation between corporate management and editorial functions in handling the situation. They reiterated their shock at Edwards’ actions and expressed their solidarity with all those affected.
In court, it was revealed that Edwards had engaged in online chats with an adult man on WhatsApp, who had sent him 377 sexual images, including 41 that were indecent images of children.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Edwards remained composed as he left court in a black Mercedes, with journalists and photographers clamoring for his attention.
This disturbing series of events serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and accountability, especially in the media industry. Stay tuned for more updates on this story and other relevant information. Thank you for your continued support and trust in us.