Huw Edwards arrives at court to be sentenced over child abuse images as highest-paid BBC presenter returns to the dock after he made indecent images

The sentencing is scheduled to begin in less than 10 minutes, so let’s remind ourselves exactly what Edwards will be punished for today.

In July, Edwards (pictured above in a court sketch) pleaded guilty to three counts of ‘making’ indecent images in July.

But what does making an indecent image mean?

The Crown Prosecution Service says it can include:

• opening an email attachment containing an image
• downloading an image from a website to a screen
• storing an image on a computer
• accessing a pornographic website in which an image appears in an automatic ‘pop-up’ window
• receiving an image via social media, even if unsolicited and even if part of a group
• or live-streaming images of children

A court must also decide whether an offence calls into the category of possession, distribution or production.

The maximum penalty Edwards faces is three years but that would have to be passed at crown court as magistrates can only hand down a sentence of 12 months.

BBC staff have revealed the Huw Edwards paedophile scandal has felt ‘unending’ on the eve of the disgraced presenter’s sentencing.

Presenters at the corporation have reported ‘feeling sick’ by the ordeal, with one telling the BBC: ‘For staff, particularly those who worked alongside him, it’s been a difficult year.

‘There have been so many twists and turns, it has felt like a blow every time another horror has been unveiled. It has felt unending.’

BBC chair Samir Shah told the House of Lords’ communications and digital committee that he, among other colleagues, ‘feel angry and betrayed’.

Huw Edwards still hasn’t returned £200,000 salary he was paid after being arrested over child abuse images, BBC boss Tim Davie confirmed last week.

The BBC director-general said he hoped ‘to make progress’ to recover earnings from the disgraced former newsreader.

Tim Davie (pictured) told the House of Lords’ Communications and Digital Committee on Tuesday that the money, which spanned from Edwards’ arrest in November until he resigned from the BBC in April, had not yet been returned.

Edwards had been suspended in July last year over separate allegations he had paid a young person for explicit pictures.

We’ve made the formal request, and I can’t go into too much detail, but discussions are under way, but I’ve got no further news, apart from the BBC’s position is clear, the money should be returned, and we made the request.

Huw Edwards appeared at court today still wearing his wedding ring to receive his sentence for receiving sexual images of children as young as seven.

The ring was pictured as Edwards left a taxi which had driven up to the court building in central London.

by Martin Robinson, MailOnline Chief Reporter

Huw Edwards’ BBC colleagues were warned about him and hope he will be jailed over indecent images of children sent to him by a convicted paedophile, MailOnline can reveal today.

BBC staff have described being ‘warned’ about ‘thin-skinned’ Edwards when they started working there – and said that he should be put in prison for what he has done.

Culture and Media Editor Katie Razzall said that when she joined the corporation, she was given specific advice about how to handle the now-disgraced newsreader.

‘You can be funny’, they said. ‘But don’t be funnier than Huw,’ adding: ‘You can be clever, but don’t be too clever,’ Ms Razzall revealed.

During his four decades at the corporation, Edwards was among the broadcasting teams leading coverage of historic events including the late Queen’s funeral in 2022 and most recently the coronation of the King in May 2023.

Edwards also announced the late Queen’s death on the BBC in September 2022.

He joined BBC News as a trainee in 1984 and he later was hired as political reporter for BBC Wales.

Two years on, he became BBC Wales’s parliamentary correspondent and by the early 90s he was the BBC’s chief political correspondent at Westminster.

He became a regular face on the BBC News channel, then called BBC News 24, after it launched in 1997.

In 2003, Edwards was promoted to the Ten O’Clock News, the BBC’s flagship bulletin, before he began to increasingly commentate on major national events for the BBC.

by Paul Thompson at Westminster Magistrates Court

Huw Edwards arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court an hour before his sentencing.

Flanked by his legal team he made no comment as he entered the modern courthouse.

Outside a small group of protestations with placards bearing the slogan ‘BBC Savile Syndrome.’

A photo of Edwards was positioned alongside shamed DJ Jimmy Saville and the BBC director General Tim Davie.

Other placards had the slogan ‘Protect our children. Hold the BBC accountable to reform’.

These pictures show the moment Huw Edwards arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court to be sentenced over child abuse images.

Edwards nodded at crowds of journalists and photographers before walking inside the court with a suitcase he dragged behind him.

The case is due to be heard at 10am.

Huw Edwards has arrived at Westminster Magistrates Court.

The 63-year-old arrived in a taxi and walked past crowds of waiting media before entering the court.

Watch the moment he arrived in our video below:

The mother of the teenager told The Sun that Edwards has caused ‘immense pain and suffering’ and should be locked up.

In a powerful open letter published by the newspaper, she said:

I am today writing this open letter to make you understand the immense pain and suffering you have caused me, my son, my family, your own family – and all of your victims over the years.’

She said that her ‘heart breaks for every one’ of the young children ‘robbed of their innocence forever for your sick pleasure’ and their families who have gone through what she has.

She wrote of how her son was happy before the disgraced news anchor ‘wormed’ his way into the teenager’s life from the age of 17.

The distressed mother said her son began having problems with drink and drugs, which was further fuelled by Edwards’ ‘pestering him for pictures’ and paying him ‘tens of thousands’.

She said Edwards: ‘Sent text messages calling him ‘Princess’ to control him and keep him onside.’

Concluding the letter, she told Edwards:

That you have lost everything is no consolation to us. You will receive your punishment in court.

Crowds have started to gather at Westminster Magistrates Court ahead of Huw Edwards’ expected arrival.

Richard Gaisford, Good Morning Britain’s Chief Correspondent, has told how packs of journalists and photographers are outside the court, while a group of Christian protesters have also pitched up.

We will let you know as soon as Edwards arrives.

Here’s a timeline of the Huw Edwards scandal illustrating how the BBC’s highest-paid star blew up his own career following a scandal over child abuse images.

Edwards announced his resignation from the BBC in April, citing medical advice, having already been suspended the previous July over separate allegations he had paid a young person for explicit pictures.

Edwards was absent from screens from when the story first broke in July 2023 until his exit in April 2024.

Huw Edwards will return to Westminster Magistrates Court this morning following the scandal that has left him in disgrace.

In July, the former newsreader admitted having 41 indecent images, which were sent to him on WhatsApp – including some showing a victim aged between seven and nine.

At his last court appearance, he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children. Under the law, images can mean photos or video clips.

He was found to have seven category A images – the most serious classification, which show serious abuse including penetrative sexual activity.

Most of the category A images were estimated to show children aged between 13 and 15. Two clips showed a child aged about seven to nine.

He also had 12 category B pictures, which involve non-penetrative sexual activity, and 22 photographs in category C, which covers other indecent images. The category B and C pictures showed children aged between 12 to 15.

Police later revealed the man who sent the images to Edwards was a 25-year-old convicted paedophile called Alex Williams.

Huw Edwards, one of Britain’s most famous newsreaders, will return to court today where he could be sentenced over receiving sexual images of children as young as seven.

The disgraced former BBC News star has admitted three charges of ‘making’ indecent photographs of children after he was sent 41 images by convicted paedophile Alex Williams in vile WhatsApp messages.

The 63-year-old is on conditional bail and is set to be sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court at 10am today, following his guilty pleas in July. He could face up to 12 months in jail.

Hello and welcome to MailOnline’s live coverage as Huw Edwards is sentenced at Westminster Magistrates Court.

The disgraced BBC newsreader will learn his fate today after he pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children in July.

Edwards’ career has been left in tatters after the scandal broke last year. The 63-year-old had anchored the BBC’s coverage of major national events including the late Queen’s funeral.

At his previous court hearing, he was warned he faces a possible custodial sentence when he stands before magistrates.

MailOnline will bring you the latest updates from the sentencing plus reaction following the verdict.