Huw Edwards, a long-time prominent presenter with British state broadcaster the BBC has been charged with three counts of making indecent imagery of children, the Metropolitan Police announced on Monday.
The former prime-time News anchor is now set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, the police revealed in a statement.
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“The offenses, which are alleged to have taken place between December 2020 and April 2022, relate to images shared on a WhatsApp chat,” the police said.
“Media and the public are strongly reminded that this is an active case. Nothing should be published, including on social media, which could prejudice future court proceedings.”
The scandal around Edwards erupted last year in June, when British media reports suggested that the presenter spent around $45,000 on soliciting sexually explicit images from a minor before sharing them in a private WhatsApp chat.
The case against the presenter reportedly involves at least 37 images of varying degrees of indecency, including six category A images –the most extreme variant– recovered from his phone. If proven, the offenses Edwards had been charged with can carry prison terms of up to ten years.
Described by the BBC as one of Britain’s “most high-profile broadcasters,” Edwards joined the network in 1984 and quickly made a career. He worked as a political reporter for BBC Wales and was ultimately promoted to News at Ten anchor, the broadcaster’s flagship program.
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Edwards was one of the top-paid employees at the BBC, presenting numerous high-profile events over his career, such as the Brexit referendum, Queen Elizabeth II’s jubilees and her death, and the coronation of King Charles III.
The host resigned from the broadcaster in April, citing “medical advice” following a ten-month absence. He first took the leave of absence after finding himself at the epicenter of the indecent photographs scandal.