Scandal of Facebook poster in prison while high-priced shrinks save Huw Edwards - Kelvin MacKenzie
Kelvin MacKenzie has blasted the lack of jail time served by Huw Edwards
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I am puzzled by the Huw Edwards case. It was straightforward. He was attracted to indecent images of children– or child abuse as I prefer to call it - and was prepared to pay for it. That is against the law. And as ‘’sentencing guidelines’’ currently stand he would, and did, receive a suspended sentence.
So, what was the point of the court paying many thousands of pounds (that’s taxpayer’s money) to hire two experts to show the inner workings of the murky mind of Edwards. Why spend your money (how much was it? We should be told) when it was an open and shut case. His actions didn’t need any explanation, but we paid for it anyway.
The experts were Michael Issac, a consultant psychiatrist and neuropsychiatrist and Victoria Appleyard, a forensic psychosexual therapist.
The hiring of these experts raised another issue. When those folk received harsh sentences for sending nasty Facebook posts after Southport did anybody care what their mental background was like?
Did the judge ask for detailed and expensive reports on their home life, their drink and drug issues, their cognitive health? Of course not. They were packed off to jail because Starmer had ordered it. Had those courts employed the Issacs or the Appleyards I am sure the sentences would have been reduced or scrapped entirely.
Having seen how the rich and famous are treated with what most people would consider a far more serious accusation than a nasty FB post, the charge two-tier Keir becomes so accurate.
Back to the Edwards case. This was the old cobblers Mr Issac reported to Westminster magistrates having spoken to Edwards, presumably for hours. Being a TV type, Edwards probably enjoyed looking deep into his psyche.
Edwards revealed to Mr Issac (or the psychiatrist deduced from the discussion, it’s not clear) that he had been mentally scarred by his ‘’restrictive’’ childhood in Llangennech, a village in South Wales. Why would that lead to child porn?
Further, his relationship with his father, an author, broadcaster and academic, who died of cancer in 2010, was said to be ‘’particularly challenging and probably damaging psychologically’’. Why would that lead to child porn? Lots of children have problems with their parents but they don’t turn to child porn.
The following insight is an absolute cracker; Apparently, the relationship with dad led to a sense of low esteem which was, according to Mr Issac, compounded by the fact he went to Cardiff University rather than Oxford, allegedly making him feel an outsider at the BBC. Is this a joke?
Is the suggestion the fact he went to Cardiff, and not the Dreaming Spires, the reason he wanted to purchase photos of children? How ridiculous.
Edwards was clearly having a field day, giving a background to his actions. As he explained, there was the excessive use of prescription drugs, the alcohol abuse and the poor state of his mental health. Mind you, he was still holding down a serious job at the BBC and trousering over £400,000-a-year. Things couldn’t have been that obvious at work. Nor are they likely to be.
The whole point of his life was to keep it as secret as possible although how he managed to keep this double life to himself while being an enormously famous BBC broadcaster is quite beyond me.
It’s clear Edwards got special treatment. Their report made clear sending Edwards to jail would not be appropriate as he was not a threat and in any event with him being so famous would be in danger. Mr Issac is at the top of his game.
Employed by all the top hospitals, Maudsley, Guys etc and has more letters after his name than in his name. And if you go online, you will see he offers his services as an expert witness.
Perhaps he should contact the lawyers acting for the lady that got 18 months for her Facebook post. She should appeal. If Edwards doesn’t go to jail, neither should she.