A PAEDOPHILE linked to Huw Edwards was spared jail yesterday — like the shamed ex-BBC newsreader.
Drama student Jac Davies, 25, had sick photos of babies and young boys on his phone.
But he only got a suspended sentence in line with the one given to dad-of-five Edwards in September.
A woman who worked with him at university said last night she was appalled at the leniency, adding of Davies’ crimes: “It’s disgusting.”
Davies and Edwards, 63, were both snared after cops launched a probe into ringleader Alex Williams.
University-educated Davies was found to have 84 indecent pics and videos on his phone, some featuring babies plus boys aged three to five.
In online messages seized by officers, Davies also spoke of a twisted desire to “destroy newborns”.
His lawyer Stewart Page reminded magistrates that Edwards was not sent to prison — and neither should his client.
He said: “It’s incumbent upon me to mention that you need to consider parity.
“You are aware of a certain individual who was sentenced a number of months ago. He too had no previous convictions.”
He said his offences “were similar to what Mr Davies appears to have done”, and added: “A suspended sentence was imposed on that case.”
Welsh-born Davies, currently living in Leeds, was given a 12-month jail term, suspended for two years.
He is the third member of a vile WhatsApp paedo group to facejustice.
In August, Williams, 25, of Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, got a 12-month suspended jail term for possessing and distributing indecent images of kids.
Edwards, of South West London, was given a six-month suspended term the following month after accessing indecent images of children as young as seven.
Davies, a student at Leeds Conservatoire drama school was arrested in October after cops raided his flat.
Prosecutor Michelle Kruger told Leeds magistrates court: “South Wales Police had been dealing with Alex Williams.
These are children that are being abused — they’re entirely defenceless. It’s disgusting
Fformer colleague of Davies
“As part of the investigation into that individual, this defendant was found to have been involved in indecent images being shared.
“Also involved was a link between Alex Williams and Huw Edwards, the BBC News presenter.”
The court heard Davies had 36 category A images — the worst kind — plus 30 category B and 18 category C.
The Sun’s Keep Our Kids Safe campaign, backed by National Crime Agency boss Graeme Biggar, is calling for anyone found with Category A images to be locked up.
A former colleague of Davies told how she was appalled by the sentence and he should have gone to jail.
Judith Atkinson said she worked with him as an accommodation officer at Leeds University — and even took him into her home.
She said: “These are children that are being abused — they’re entirely defenceless.
“It’s disgusting.
“He told us he’d received these messages but not done anything with them.
“He said he’d not sent them on, but now I don’t know.”
He also claimed that he “only discovered Huw Edwards’ involvement when the police told him”.
Lauren Costello of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The defendant accessed indecent images of children.
“This type of offending causes long-lasting and deep trauma for victims.”
