The BBC has admitted it knew Huw Edwards had been arrested over making indecent photographs of kids 5 months earlier than he left the company on “medical advice” in April 2024.
Delivering its first assertion on the matter days after Edwards was charged, and approaching the day he pled responsible at Westminster Magistrates Court, the BBC mentioned it 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.” This was in November.
“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,” mentioned the assertion.
The BBC mentioned it might have “acted immediately to dismiss him” had he been charged at any level between when he was arrested in November and when he left in April 2024.
The BBC was responding just a few hours after Edwards pled responsible to 3 counts of creating indecent photographs of kids.
He will return to Westminster Magistrates Court on September 16, the place he’ll face sentencing and will go to jail. His responsible pleas at the moment took many within the court docket without warning, having assumed that he would solely communicate to verify his title and handle.
His fall from grace has been spectacular. He was one of many faces of BBC News for many years, helmed election protection and introduced the demise of Queen Elizabeth II.
He stopped showing on the BBC when allegations surfaced in The Sun final summer time and exited the company in April 2024 on “medical advice” after “40 years of service,” the company mentioned, coming simply previous to him taking house his largest pay packet in 5 years. It has after all now emerged that he was arrested 5 months previous to his leaving the BBC.
Top BBC presenter takes swipe at Edwards
Meanwhile, one of many BBC’s high presenters took a swipe seemingly at Edwards for utilizing his poor psychological well being as a mitigating issue for any potential sentencing.
Nicky Campbell posted round an hour in the past: “And if mental health was mitigation for every custodial crime the prisons wouldn’t be at bursting point. They’d be half full.”
He was posting after the court docket was adjourned earlier when Edwards’ lawyer efficiently petitioned to have a pre-sentencing report filed to the decide, which can embrace a report on Edwards’ psychological well being. The former newsreader has spent a few of the previous 12 months in a hospital and Edwards’ lawyer was eager to emphasize the state of his psychological well being over the previous 12 months.