BBC issues Huw Edwards statement – says it knew of arrest while he was still employed

Edwards was charged with having six category A images on a phone as well as 12 category B pictures and 19 category C pictures.

The category A images were mostly of children aged 13 to 15, the court heard, but prosecutors said there were two moving images of a young child, estimated to be between seven and nine years old (per Sky News).

Edwards left the BBC in April, nine months after it was revealed he was the presenter in question facing allegations over payments for sexually explicit images, for which he was suspended from the BBC.

The Metropolitan Police has said the allegations are separate from the claims that were reported last year.

A BBC spokesperson has now revealed that it was aware of Edwards's arrest in November, and added that it would have "acted immediately to dismiss him" had he been charged at any point between when he was arrested and when he left in April 2024.

"The BBC is shocked to hear the details which have emerged in court today," the 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.

"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.

"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.

"We want to reiterate our shock at Mr Edwards's actions and our thoughts remain with all those affected."

In today's proceedings, Edwards's defence lawyer, Philip Evans KC, said: "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's 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."

Edwards will be sentenced at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 16th September, where he faces possible jail time.