The BBC would have sacked Huw Edwards if he had been charged with making indecent images of children while employed by them.
In a statement released after the former news anchor pleaded guilty to three offences in court this morning, the broadcaster expressed its “shock” at the details that emerged on Wednesday.
A BBC spokesperson said: “There can be no place for such abhorrent behaviour and our thoughts are with all those affected.
“The police have confirmed that the charges are not connected to the original complaint raised with the BBC in the summer of 2023, nevertheless in the interests of transparency we think it important to set out some points about events of the last year.”
Edwards, 62, was surrounded by photographers as he arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
He admitted committing three offences between December 2020 and August 2021.
He had 41 photographs on messaging platform WhatsApp – seven category A images, 12 category B pictures and 22 in category C.
Prosecutors said there were two moving images of a young child, possibly aged between seven and nine years old.
The court heard that Edwards had been involved in an online chat with an adult man on WhatsApp between December 2020 and April 2022.
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Sky’s Katie Spencer explains what we know about the case
The man sent Edwards 377 sexual images, of which 41 were indecent images of children.
The final image, sent in August 2021, was a category A film featuring a young boy.
The man asked whether those featured in the images were too young.
Edwards responded by telling him not to send anything illegal, the court heard.
Defending Edwards, lawyer Philip Evans KC said there was no suggestion his client had made or created any of the images.
Pic: PA/Ian West
‘No charges’ when Edwards resigned
After the plea hearing, the BBC confirmed in a statement that it had been made aware “in confidence” of Edwards’s arrest.
“In November 2023, whilst Mr Edwards was suspended, the BBC as his employer at the time was made aware in confidence that he had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences and released on bail whilst the police continued their investigation. At the time, no charges had been brought against Mr Edwards and the BBC had also been made aware of significant risk to his health,” a spokesperson said.
“Today we have learnt of the conclusion of the police process in the details as presented to the court. If at any point during the period Mr Edwards was employed by the BBC he had been charged, the BBC had determined it would act immediately to dismiss him. In the end, at the point of charge he was no longer an employee of the BBC.
“During this period, in the usual way, the BBC has kept its corporate management of these issues separate from its independent editorial functions.”
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The BBC reiterated its “shock” at Mr Edwards’s actions and the corporation said its thoughts remained “with all those affected”.
Edwards is expected to be sentenced on 16 September.