BBCA mural of former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards has been removed after he admitted having indecent images of children.
The artwork, unveiled in 2023, was part of a bigger mural in the presenter’s home village of Llangennech, Carmarthenshire.
Artist Steve Jenkins, 50, painted over the portrait on Tuesday after it was announced Edwards had been charged with three counts of making indecent images of children.
“It’s such a shame to have to do it but charges like that are disgraceful,” he said.
Mr Jenkins, from Llanelli, had been proud to paint Edwards’ picture.
He said: “I feel deeply saddened to have to remove it as the whole village loved it when it was first done.
“I was given the topic of the village to base the mural on and we thought it would be nice if Huw was included.”
The mural was in an underpass and Edwards had been to see it.
“It was lovely, he brought his mum along to see it and that’s why this is such a bitter pill to swallow,” Mr Jenkins said.
Edwards admitted having 41 indecent images of children, sent to him by a convicted paedophile on WhatsApp at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Llanelli councillor Gary Jones said: “The mural had been previously defaced, on hearing the latest news the graffiti artist decided to paint over image.
“The community council have already removed the photograph of Huw Edwards that hung in our community centre.”