‘What number of extra victims are there’: Mom of youth who was groomed by Huw Edwards hits out after disgraced BBC star avoids jail – and says it is ‘surprising’ the cellphone he used to hoard his baby porn photos was by no means discovered

The mom of a youngster ‘groomed’ by Huw Edwards has questioned if there are extra victims on the market, after the fallen BBC star prevented jail however his cellphone was by no means examined.

Edwards, 63, was sentenced yesterday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court docket having admitted having 41 indecent photos of kids, which had been despatched to him by a paedophile on WhatsApp.

The pictures included seven class A photos, probably the most critical classification, with two involving a baby aged round seven to 9 within the vile image assortment.

However he was spared jail, receiving six months in jail suspended for 2 years as a substitute – to the anger of many. Nevertheless, that is removed from uncommon.

The disgraced BBC Information star’s regret, psychological well being points and jail overcrowding might have been issues that counted in his favour.

However the livid mom of a younger man who Edwards paid £35,000 for sexually express photos – which is separate from the offences for which he was sentenced – stated she needed him to be locked up and slammed the police for lacking the possibility to look by way of his cellphone.

Edwards, 63, was sentenced yesterday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court docket having admitted having 41 indecent photos of kids, which had been despatched to him by a paedophile

He made no remark as he walked into the fashionable courthouse

Edwards made his method by way of the media melee earlier than being pushed away in a black Mercedes when at court docket on July 31

The disenchanted mom instructed The Solar: ‘I am devastated Edwards hasn’t gone to jail for the issues he did. He is exploited younger youngsters for his personal sick ends and will have been jailed.  

‘Folks have been jailed for years for rioting — but paedophiles sharing photos of younger youngsters being sexually abused someway would not warrant the identical punishment?’

She additionally slammed the police for being sluggish to behave and lacking the possibility to look at Edwards’ cellphone and laptop computer.

She stated: ‘It is surprising that police did not get well the cellphone he was utilizing to obtain the kid abuse photos. It makes me assume, what number of extra victims are there?’

Her son’s stepfather has written to his MP demanding to fulfill Tim Davie in particular person, too. He stated: ‘The BBC ought to have put him on suspension with out pay from day one. The police ought to have finished one thing rather a lot faster. They missed an opportunity to have a look at his cellphone and laptop computer then.’ 

Liam Kotrie, a legal defence solicitor at Mary Monson Solicitors who has handled ‘lots of’ of intercourse abuse picture circumstances, stated first time offenders had been very hardly ever jailed. 

Nevertheless, he stated it was ‘very uncommon’ for somebody like Edwards who had obtained a Class A picture – probably the most critical class – not be sentenced in crown court docket or obtain a sexual hurt prevention order.

‘I’ve by no means heard of a case of possession of class A photos that stayed in magistrates court docket for sentencing, it is very uncommon. I’ve by no means had that and I’ve finished lots of of them,’ he instructed MailOnline. 

‘And the truth that he did not obtain a sexual hurt prevention order may be very uncommon. 

Welsh police uncovered the broadcaster’s crimes throughout a separate probe right into a intercourse offender in Wales. Edwards is pictured in court docket

Alex Williams, 25, shared indecent photos with Huw Edwards that led to the newsreader’s downfall. Williams is pictured right here as a youngster on a household journey to a Welsh magnificence spot

Westminster Magistrates’ Court docket heard on Monday how Huw Edwards had replied ‘sure xxx’ when requested if he needed a set of indecent photos of kids (notice: This isn’t the precise textual content message trade) 

It was additionally instructed that Edwards had instructed Williams that ages ‘could be misleading’ when instructed one of many topics in a picture was ‘fairly yng wanting’, earlier than asking if he had ‘any extra? (notice: This isn’t the precise textual content message trade)

‘I had a case the place somebody had a handful of Class C photos the place somebody managed to persuade a decide to not give them a sexual hurt prevention order, however they’re nearly all the time given for these circumstances. 

Yesterday, the disgraced information anchor stared down on the floor as he left court docket together with his life in tatters.

Edwards held his palms collectively and leaned ahead all through his sentencing listening to. He then let loose a ‘small sigh’ as he was handed six months’ imprisonment, suspended for 2 years.

He smiled broadly as he left the courtroom accompanied by a member of his authorized crew – carrying the identical small suitcase he had introduced with him, probably in anticipation of being jailed.

He later walked onto the road together with his authorized crew earlier than being pushed away in a black Mercedes. A mugshot launched of the presenter confirmed him staring on the digital camera – useless eyed and gaunt – with silver stubble throughout his face.

However his BBC ex-colleagues are disgusted by his crimes and consider he ought to have been despatched to jail and compelled to present again the £200,000 he was paid by their bosses after his arrest.

Court docket artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook dinner of former BBC broadcaster Huw Edwards within the dock at Westminster Magistrates’ Court docket

Edwards was beforehand anchor of Information at Ten and one in every of Britain’s most outstanding newsreaders  

A BBC spokesperson stated after its former broadcaster Huw Edwards was sentenced: ‘We’re appalled by his crimes. He has betrayed not simply the BBC, however audiences who put their belief in him.’

Director Normal Tim Davie is but to remark however one former colleague instructed MailOnline in the present day: ‘He needs to be in jail. He was chatting with a paedo for 4 years who then despatched him baby porn. And he did not go to the police. But he is in court docket attempting to recommend he’s a sufferer. It could be laughable if it wasn’t so abhorrent’.

One other insider stated that Edwards’ crimes had been ‘so sick’.

The 63-year-old despatched lots of of kilos to Alex Williams, who in flip despatched him porn, a few of which he referred to as ‘superb’. The disgraced broadcaster had additionally instructed the convicted paedophile ‘go on’ when requested if he needed ‘naughty pics and vids’ of anyone described as younger. 

Edwards additionally wrote ‘sure xxx’ when he was requested by Williams if he needed sexual photos of an individual whose ‘age may very well be discerned as being between 14 and 16’. He was additionally despatched two pornographic movies of a kid aged between seven and nine-years-old.

Edwards, who resigned from the BBC in April, has been requested to repay the £200,000 wage he has obtained since his arrest.

A mocked up model of a reported Instagram message trade between the BBC star and a youngster

Edwards, who was born in Bridgend and introduced up in Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, joined the BBC as a trainee in 1984. Pictured on the six o’clock information in 1999

He has to date refused and also will preserve his pension.

BBC employees have described being ‘warned’ about ‘thin-skinned’ Edwards once they began working there – and stated that he needs to be put in jail for what he has finished.

MailOnline revealed there may be nice animosity in direction of him on the Beeb, who’ve been rocked by one more baby intercourse scandal after Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris.

One BBC staffer stated: ‘He nonetheless hasn’t repaid his wage and dragged us by way of the mud once more.

‘Many on the BBC need him to pay for what he has finished. He has performed the system’.

A former colleague stated: ‘Huw had large expertise and presence however has all the time been very prickly and thin-skinned’.

And Zoe Lambourne, chief working officer at baby security knowledge institute Childlight, stated the case is unfortunately removed from uncommon.

‘We’re within the grip of a hidden pandemic, with an estimated 1.8 million UK individuals concerned in sexually abusing and exploiting youngsters on-line,’ she stated. 

‘This public well being emergency is just too large for regulation enforcement to counter alone however crucially, it’s preventable by way of joint motion to make sure baby security is all the time paramount.’

The NSPCC’s Rani Govender added: ‘On-line baby sexual abuse is at document ranges and offenders like Edwards who gas this crime needs to be in little question about its severity and the influence it has on victims.

‘Corporations should additionally act by placing expertise in place that may establish and disrupt baby abuse photos being shared on their messaging providers so victims could be safeguarded and offenders prosecuted.’

Lynn Perry, of kids’s charity Barnardo’s, stated: ‘Tens of hundreds of kids are sexually exploited or groomed on-line yearly.

‘We urge tech firms to take motion to verify abuse materials cannot be shared on their platforms.

‘When youngsters are abused, and pictures of this are shared on-line, they have to obtain pressing, specialist help — one thing that’s sadly unavailable to many youngsters nationwide.’

Talking to The Instances concerning the distinction in sentencing between Edwards and the rioters, Toby Younger – the director of the Free Speech Union – stated: ‘It is arduous to not conclude we now have a two-tier legal justice system during which Islamophobia is punished extra severely than paedophilia.’