THE former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to three counts of making indecent images of children.
Edwards, 62, is accused of having had 37 photographs on WhatsApp, including six of the most serious type.
Edwards arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court shortly before 9.15am on Wednesday wearing a dark suit, blue tie and sunglasses.
He refused to answer any questions from the journalists present.
Photographers were knocked to the ground as they scrambled to get to the broadcaster as he entered the court building flanked by police officers.
The Metropolitan Police said he was arrested in November last year and charged on June 26.
According to the charge sheet, Edwards is accused of having six category A images, 12 category B pictures and 19 category C photographs on WhatsApp – offences contrary to sections 1(1)(a) and 6 of the Protection of Children Act 1978.
The images are alleged to have been shared via WhatsApp.
If found guilty, he could receive a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Edwards was one of the BBC’s most prominent and highest-paid news anchors before he left the corporation in April on medical grounds.
During his career, he fronted BBC’s News At Ten for 20 years and anchored coverage of major national events including announcing Queen Elizabeth II’s death on the BBC and presenting coverage of her funeral.
He was previously the BBC’s highest-paid newsreader, with a pay bracket of £475,000 to £479,999 for the year 2023/24 for 160 presenting days, BBC One news specials, election specials and other television programming, according to the corporation’s latest annual report.
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