Huw Edwards: Paedophile who sent disgraced BBC newsreader child abuse images pictured after guilty verdict
Huw Edwards: Alex Williams has been pictured following the BBC star's guilty plea
PA/FACEBOOK
The paedophile who sent disgraced BBC newsreader Huw Edwards indecent images of children has been pictured following the 62-year-old's guilty verdict.
Edwards pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children after images shared by Alex Williams were found in a WhatsApp exchange between the two.
The Met Police said Williams, of Merthyr Tydfil, south Wales, pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing category A, B and C images as well as possessing prohibited images of children.
Williams previously received a 12-month suspended sentence on March 15 after being convicted of seven offences.
South Wales Police discovered the images shared with Edwards during an unrelated investigation by South Wales Police.
Edwards received 41 indecent images from Williams in an exchange that included a total of 377 pictures sent by the 25-year-old.
Huw Edwards: Alex Williams is a convicted sex offender
The sex offender had sent Edwards images that included two that showed a boy as young as seven.
According to Mail Online, Williams' parents confirmed that he is no longer living with them.
He is now reportedly in hiding following Edwards' guilty verdict and his parents have denied any knowledge that he was a sex offender.
The 25-year-old's mother claimed to be unaware that her son was convicted of child pornography offences at Merthyr Crown Court in March.
Huw Edwards: Alex Williams, 25, sent Edwards 41 indecent images of children
After pleading guilty on Wednesday, Edwards could now face up to 10 years behind bars.
Edwards' former employer, the BBC, released a statement after his guilty plea - just weeks after it was revealed he'd received a £40,000 pay rise to take his annual earnings to £475,000-£479,999 despite being suspended.
The corporation said: "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."
The BBC was "made aware" of Edwards arrest in November and subsequently released on bail.
The statement continued: "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.
"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."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Huw Edwards pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children
PA
The Beeb signed off: "We want to reiterate our shock at Mr Edwards’ actions and our thoughts remain with all those affected."
The case has hit headlines across the globe and on GB News on Thursday, Carole Malone hit out at the Beeb on Thursday's Britain's Newsroom.
"The Sun is the hero of this piece and the BBC is the villain. The police would not have pursued these allegations had it not been for The Sun’s story," she said, referring to the newspaper's report in July 2023 which alleged Edwards had paid a teenager for explicit images.
"If the BBC had any sense of responsibility, they would have named him. In the end it was his wife who named him. They’re coming out with all this tosh now that they had to give him this pay rise, no they didn’t. They have form for hiding the perverted behaviour of their staff."