Huw Edwards, a 62-year-old former presenter with the BBC, has formally pleaded guilty to three charges related to the creation of indecent images of minors. During his appearance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, it was revealed that he had engaged in online conversations with a man who shared a total of 377 sexual images, among which 41 were classified as indecent images of children. The court heard that Edwards possessed an indecent image depicting a child as young as seven.

The term ‘making indecent images of children’ can often lead to misunderstandings regarding the nature of the offence. It does not imply that Edwards orchestrated the creation of the images or employed any artificial intelligence to fabricate them. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has pointed out that interpretations of this offence have evolved significantly over time. According to the CPS, the legal definition of making indecent images is broad and may encompass actions like opening an email attachment containing such images, downloading them from the internet, or receiving unsolicited images through social media.

In defense of Edwards, barrister Philip Evans KC stated that there is no indication that he has generated any images in the conventional sense. He emphasized that Edwards' devices were thoroughly examined and no additional incriminating material was found. It was clarified that the only images pertinent to the charges arose from a WhatsApp conversation, and Edwards did not retain any images, nor did he distribute them or seek out similar content.

The Sentencing Council identifies three distinct categories of indecent images. Category A represents the most serious cases, involving penetrative sexual acts, sexual activity involving animals, or sadism. Category B includes non-penetrative sexual activities, while Category C encompasses images deemed indecent but falling outside categories A and B. The court noted that of the images received by Edwards, there were seven identified as category A, twelve as category B, and twenty-two as category C. Edwards is scheduled to return to the court for sentencing on September 16, where he faces the possibility of incarceration for his offences.