The mother who first alerted the BBC to Huw Edwards’ predatory behaviour has shared her shock and frustration that the news presenter has not been jailed.
The whistleblower and her family went to The Sun in July of last year to complain about Edwards sending their teen money in exchange for sexually explicit images.
Edwards, 63, reportedly told the teen he loved him repeatedly among other bizarre messages.
The family did not believe the BBC was taking their concerns about Edwards seriously enough and had begged the BBC to make Edwards ‘stop sending cash’ to their teen as he was spending it on drugs.
Edwards reportedly sent more than £35,000 to the youth in total.
Edwards’ alleged online interactions with the whistle-blower’s teen were not a part of the court case that resulted in Edwards being handed a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years after admitting accessing indecent images of children.
The former BBC presenter previously admitted three charges of ‘making’ indecent photographs after convicted paedophile Alex Williams sent him 41 illegal images over WhatsApp.
Now, the mother has spoken out about Edwards’ sentence.
‘I’m devastated Edwards hasn’t gone to prison for the things he did. He’s exploited young children for his own sick ends and should have been jailed.
‘As a mother, I just cannot comprehend why anyone would share those kinds of pictures and videos,’ she told The Sun.
She also shared her shock that the police didn’t recover the phone he was using to receive the child abuse images and questioned whether there are even more victims out there that no one knows about because of the missing phone.
She went on to share her shock and disgust at learning that Edwards possessed illegal child abuse images at the same time he was interacting with her teen.
‘When I heard Edwards had a degrading picture of a boy as young as seven on his phone at the same time as he was messaging my son from that same phone, I just couldn’t believe it,’ she continued.
She went on to say that the judge had not done enough in handing down Edwards’ sentences and said all of the ‘excuses’ Edwards and his lawyers made for his beahviour seemed disingenuous.
She pointed out that Edwards claim of mental health issues and addiction was hypocritical given that he took advantage of her son’s vulnerability and addiction.
The whistleblower shared her skepticism that Edwards feels any remorse, given that he didn’t seem to feel any about how his actions affected her son, sharing her opinion that Edwards remains as dangerous as ever and should be in prison.
Saying the news presenter should have been sent to jail for a ‘very long time,’ she questioned if the punishment sets a dangerous precedent for paedophiles, asking: ‘Where is the deterrent?’
She also concluded: ‘Huw Edwards has ruined my son’s life, totally ruined it.’
The disgraced BBC presenter appeared in Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday to learn his sentence.
As well as the suspended sentence, he will be required to complete a sex offender programme, and will be placed on the sex offenders register for seven years.
Following his sentencing, which has drawn criticism from the public, the BBC issued a statement, saying: ‘We are appalled by his crimes.
‘He has betrayed not just the BBC, but audiences who put their trust in him.’
Chief Magistrate, district judge Paul Goldspring, told Edwards – who appeared emotional as he listened to sentencing – that his ‘long-earned reputation is in tatters’, while he is ‘of previous good character’.
The judge declined to make a sexual harm prevention order against Edwards.
A psychiatrist’s report that the judge referenced concluded Edwards was at ‘considerable risk of harm from others’ and the risk of taking his own life was ‘high and significant’ if he was imprisoned.
The magistrate also said the presenter did not pose a risk to the public or children, drawing criticism from the public.
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