Former UK television journalist Huw Edwards, a highly recognised figure across the UK, faces charges relating to three separate incidents of creating inappropriate child images, according to a recent police statement made on Monday. Edwards, 62, was the top-earning journalist for the BBC, serving as the primary anchor for the ‘BBC News at Ten’ programme for a period spanning over 20 years, before stepping down in April. The charges that have been filed against him are focused on indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a minor that were reportedly discovered on a child’s mobile phone, as stated in court records.
The alleged crimes are said to have occurred within the timeframe of December 2020 to April 2022, implicating pictures that were transferred via WhatsApp discussions, as disclosed by a Scotland Yard representative. Edwards was apprehended on the 8th of November, 2023, with the official charges brought forth on the 26th of June after an approval from the Crown Prosecution Service. Edwards was later released on bail, scheduled to appear before London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
Before his exit from the BBC, Edwards held a distinguished presence, with significant tasks such as announcing the passing of Queen Elizabeth to the UK public, and spearheading coverage of seminal events since the year 2000, including general elections, royal matrimonies, and the 2012 Olympic Games. A medical recommendation preceded his resignation, amidst claims that he had compensated a minor a substantial sum of money in exchange for explicit images. – Reuters