Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has arrived at court ahead of his sentencing hearing for accessing indecent images of children as young as seven.
He previously admitted three charges of “making” indecent photographs after he was sent 41 illegal images by convicted paedophile Alex Williams over WhatsApp.
Edwards was spotted pulling a suitcase behind him as he arrived at Westminster Magistrates’ Court wearing a blue cardigan and flanked by his legal team.
As he entered the court building, the veteran broadcaster looked sternly at photographers who were stationed close to the entrance.
Seven of the indecent images shared with Edwards by Williams were of the most serious type.
Of those images, the estimated age of most of the children was between 13 and 15, but one was aged between seven and nine.
Edwards’ case could be sent to crown court for sentencing if the presiding district judge decides they do not have appropriate powers to sentence the broadcaster on Monday.
Williams was charged in relation to his WhatsApp chat with Edwards and was convicted of seven offences following an investigation by South Wales Police – receiving a 12-month suspended sentence.
The final indecent image was sent in August 2021, a category A film featuring a young boy, with convicted paedophile Williams telling the newsreader the child was “quite young looking” and that he had more images which were illegal.
Overall the charges cover a period between December 2020 and August 2021.
Following his guilty pleas, the BBC admitted it was informed that the former TV presenter had been arrested in November but continued to employ him for around five months until he left on medical advice.
It has asked Edwards to repay the £200,000 salary he has received since his arrest.
BBC director-general Tim Davie said the money should be returned and that the corporation will “explore” the legal process if Edwards refuses.
The relevant images in Edwards’ case range from the most serious category, known as category A, to the least serious, known as category C.
They include seven category A images, 12 category B images and 22 category C images.
The Sentencing Council, a public body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice, defines category A images as those involving penetrative sexual activity, sexual activity with an animal, or sadism.
Category B images are those involving non-penetrative sexual activity, while category C images are indecent images that do not fall into A or B.
