HUW Edwards has admitted being sent a string of indecent photos of children – including a “moving image” of a boy as young as seven.
The former BBC presenter, 62, received the pictures on WhatsApp between December 2020 and April 2022.
Edwards, 62, today pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court was told seven of the 41 images fall under Category A – the most serious classification.
This included two moving images of younger children, possibly aged seven and nine years old, as well as kids aged between 13 and 15.
A further 12 images were classed as Category B and 19 as Category C.
The ex-presenter could face a maximum of ten years in prison when he is sentenced on September 16.
Prosecutor Ian Hope stressed Edwards had not created any of the images himself.
He said the newsreader was involved in an online chat with an adult man on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021.
During this time, the man sent Edwards 377 sexual images, of which 41 were indecent images of children.
When he sent the film featuring the young boy, Edwards was told he was quite young looking and there were more illegal images.
Edwards then told the man on several occasions not to send him anything against the law.
No more of these pictures or video were sent and the pair continued to exchange legal pornographic images until April 2022.
Edwards’ barrister Philip Evans KC told the court there was no suggestion the ex-newsreader had made or created any of the images.
He also said no indecent images had been found on any of Edward’s’ own devices and he had not looked for any such material from anyone else.
The lawyer added: “There’s no suggestion in this case that Mr Edwards has… in the traditional sense of the word, created any image of any sort.
“It is important also to remember for context that devices, Mr Edwards’ devices, have been seized, have been searched, and there’s nothing in those devices.
“It is only the images that are the subject of the charges that came via a WhatsApp chat.
“Mr Edwards did not keep any images, did not send any to anyone else and did not and has not sought similar images from anywhere else.”
The veteran broadcaster was arrested in November and charged on June 26 – although the information has only just been released.
The CPS has defended its decision to reveal the information on Monday ahead of his first court appearance – despite a lawyer describing the move as “puzzling”.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “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 8 November 2023. He was charged on Wednesday, 26 June following authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service.
“He has been bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 31 July.”
Edwards quit the BBC in April after 40 years reporting on some of the world’s biggest stories.
This included leading coverage of the Queen‘s funeral and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s wedding.
He was one of the BBC’s highest-profile and highest-paid presenters with a pay bracket between £475,000 and £479,999 for the year 2023/24.
The Sun revealed yesterday how the dad-of-five has split from his TV producer wife.
Edwards has moved out of the family home in Dulwich, South London, he shared with Vicky.
The couple, who got engaged in 1993, have three sons and two daughters.
A source said: “They separated quite a long time ago but have not announced it publicly.
“Huw has been living elsewhere for a while.”
