Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards is due to appear in court charged with making indecent images of children.
The 62-year-old is alleged to have committed the three offences between December 2020 and April 2022.
The veteran broadcaster is accused of having had 37 photographs on WhatsApp, including six of the most serious type.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said he was arrested in November last year and charged on June 26.
A Met Police spokesperson said in a statement: ‘Huw Edwards, 62, of Southwark, London has been charged with three counts of making indecent images of children following a Met Police investigation.
‘The offences, which are alleged to have taken place between December 2020 and April 2022, relate to images shared on a WhatsApp chat.
‘Edwards was arrested on November 8, 2023. He was charged on Wednesday, June 26 following authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service.’
The statement, which confirmed Edwards’ court appearance this week and that he had been released on bail, went on: ‘Media and the public are strongly reminded that this is an active case.
‘Nothing should be published, including on social media, which could prejudice future court proceedings.’
A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson echoed the Met’s statement, adding: ‘We remind all that proceedings are active, and the defendant has the right to a fair trial.
‘It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.’
What does ‘making indecent images’ mean?
Edwards has been charged with making indecent images of children, the Met Police confirmed.
According to the CPS, ‘making’ can include:
– opening an attachment to an email containing an image
– downloading an image from a website onto a computer screen
– storing an image on a computer, or in a directory
– accessing a pornographic website in which indence images appeared via a ‘pop-up’ page
– receiving an image on social media, even if unsoliciated and even if as part of a group
– live-streaming images of children
It is considered ‘making’ rather than ‘possessing’ because, as the CPS notes: ‘When a device is seized, it may be the case that an image is stored in such a way that it is not possible to say that the suspect possessed it, because it is not accessible to them. Even if it is not accessible, however, the evidence may show that they had knowingly “made” the image.’
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.
The offences are contrary to sections 1(1)(a) and 6 of the Protection of Children Act 1978, and if found guilty, he could receive a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
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’ imprisonment.
Edwards was one of the BBC’s most prominent and highest-paid news anchors before he left the corporation in April on medical grounds, after 40 years working at the corporation.
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.
He resigned from the BBC this year following allegations that he paid a young person for sexually explicit pictures, and has remained absent from screens since the story first broke in July 2023 until his exit was confirmed.
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Edwards, who is currently on bail, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.