The scandal that began the downfall of disgraced Huw Edwards

Huw Edwards, the disgraced former BBC presenter, has today been spared jail after he admitted downloading indecent images of children. Last year, it was reported that an unnamed BBC personality had paid a teenager for images.

The presenter's identity was not disclosed but Edwards' wife later confirmed that her husband was the person involved in the initial media reports.

Vicky Flind, who met Edwards during his tenure as a BBC correspondent in Westminster, said her decision to go public was "primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children." The couple, who became engaged in 1993 and have reportedly separated since the revelations, were thrust into the public eye when the story emerged, Wales Online reports.

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Vicky, a television producer, acknowledged that her husband was grappling with "serious mental health issues" amid speculation that he was the unnamed BBC star, prompting their public statement. A police investigation found no criminal activity but Edwards was later charged with three counts of making indecent photographs.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today (Monday), where he was sentenced six months’ imprisonment suspended for two years after admitting three charges of "making" indecent photographs.

At the time she confirmed his identity, Vicky Flind said: "In light of the recent reporting regarding the 'BBC Presenter' I am making this statement on behalf of my husband Huw Edwards, after what have been five extremely difficult days for our family. I am doing this primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children. Huw is suffering from serious mental health issues. As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years."

"The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving in-patient hospital care where he'll stay for the foreseeable future. Once well enough to do so, he intends to respond to the stories that have been published.

"To be clear Huw was first told that there were allegations being made against him last Thursday. In the circumstances and given Huw's condition I would like to ask that the privacy of my family and everyone else caught up in these upsetting events is respected. I know that Huw is deeply sorry that so many colleagues have been impacted by the recent media speculation. We hope this statement will bring that to an end."

Edwards, 63, has reportedly moved out of his family home in Dulwich, south London, after separating from Vicky, reports the Mirror. It's believed he's residing in another property in London and splitting his time between the capital city and Wales.

The couple, who share five grown-up children - three sons and two daughters - are thought to have separated "quite a long time ago but have not announced it publicly". A source has told The Sun newspaper: "Huw has been living elsewhere for a while."

Edwards admitted to three counts of making indecent images of children at Westminster Magistrates' Court in July. The court was informed that Edwards had participated in WhatsApp conversations with a man who sent him 41 indecent images of children between December 2020 and August 2021.

The man had forwarded Huw a total of 377 sexual images, 41 of which were indecent images of children. These encompassed seven category A images - the most severe type, 12 category B, and 22 category C images.

Among the material sent to Huw was a category A film featuring a young boy. The man told Edwards that the boy seemed quite young and that he held more illegal images. Edwards directed him not to send any illegal images, the court heard.

Over 40 indecent images of children had been dispatched, with the majority (36) being sent during a two-month period between December 2020 and August 2021. On February 2, 2021, the man questioned Edwards if the images he was sending were too young, to which Edwards responded by instructing him not to send any underage images, the court heard.

The court was informed that the estimated age of most of the children in the category A images was between 13 and 15, but one child was aged between seven and nine. Edwards remained unemotional as he entered guilty pleas to three counts of making indecent images of children and appeared distant, staring into the distance with his head slightly raised after the charges were confirmed. He will be sentenced on Monday.