BBC claims police told broadcaster NOT to share details of Huw Edwards arrest
The BBC was told by police not to share details of Huw Edwards’ arrest for child abuse image offences in November 2023, the corporation has claimed.
The 62-year-old was arrested on November 8 but members of the public weren't made aware of that until this week when he was charged with making indecent photographs of children and pleaded guilty to three counts in court.
The corporation has said it knew of the veteran broadcaster’s arrest on “suspicion of serious offences” in November, but continued employing him until April.
Now, a BBC source has told GB News that police warned the corporation not to share information of Edwards' arrest.
Huw Edwards pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children
PAThey said to GB News: "The information was given in strict confidence by the police and was not to be shared."
The latest development comes 24 hours after the BBC admitted to knowing about Edwards' arrest and continuing to keep him on his lucrative salary.
Before he resigned in April on medical advice, Edwards was paid between ÂŁ475,000 and ÂŁ479,999 for the year 2023/24.
This was a ÂŁ40,000 increase on his previous salary and meant that after his arrest in November, he still took home a pay packet in the region of ÂŁ200,000.
The BBC explained the decision in a statement after his guilty plea, claiming that if he'd been charged he would've been sacked.
A BBC spokesperson said: “In November 2023, whilst Mr Edwards was suspended, the BBC as his employer at the time was made aware in confidence that he had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences and released on bail whilst the police continued their investigation.
“At the time, no charges had been brought against Mr Edwards and the BBC had also been made aware of significant risk to his health.
"The BBC is shocked to hear the details which have emerged in court today. There can be no place for such abhorrent behaviour and our thoughts are with all those affected.
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Huw Edwards officially resigned from the BBC in April this yearGetty“Today we have learnt of the conclusion of the police process in the details as presented to the court.
“If at any point during the period Mr Edwards was employed by the BBC he had been charged, the BBC had determined it would act immediately to dismiss him. In the end, at the point of charge he was no longer an employee of the BBC.
“During this period, in the usual way, the BBC has kept its corporate management of these issues separate from its independent editorial functions.”