through the end of the week, but low pressure starts to nose its way in from the bay of biscay and france. so whilst we've got lots of sunshine through much of this week, by the end of the week and weekend, whilst it still stays warm in some sunny spells, there is a greater chance, particularly for england. and wales of a few showers. take care. the former bbc news presenter huw edwards is appearing is appearing at a hearing today after he admitted to accessing indecent photographs of children. we are watching the pictures of huw edwards arriving. an hour ago he stepped out of a taxi,

carrying a small case. a large numbers of photographers and hammers to see the arrival. he was asked whether he wanted to apologise for his crimes but the former newsreader remained silent. let's speak to an experienced lawyer into child sexual abuse claims. thank you forjoining us here. in your professional view, what is the most likely sentence that will be handed down. my experience sa 5 be handed down. my experience sa sit be handed down. my experience sa 5 it is be handed down. my experience says it is most _ be handed down. my experience says it is most likely _ be handed down. my experience says it is most likely to - be handed down. my experience says it is most likely to be - be handed down. my experience says it is most likely to be a - says it is most likely to be a suspended sentence. it is a much wider issue as to the impact of what huw edwards has done, the impact on the children who are abused. that is what we will wait and find out later on today as to what sentence he will receive. also the amount of time he will be

on the sexual offences register as well. ~ . ~ on the sexual offences register as well. ~ ., ~ ., as well. when we talk about makin: as well. when we talk about making images _ as well. when we talk about making images of _ as well. when we talk about making images of child - as well. when we talk about l making images of child sexual abuse, it doesn't necessarily mean the creation of them. that is correct _ mean the creation of them. that is correct it _ mean the creation of them. that is correct. it is _ mean the creation of them. that is correct. it is a _ mean the creation of them. that is correct. it is a legal— is correct. it is a legal definition. most people consider creation to be making. instead, the law defines it as it could have been downloaded or possession itself. huw edwards was keen to say he had not created the images when they were downloaded but he still had possession of the images. there were 41 images and all videos of children suffering abuse of the most serious, children as young as seven to nine years old as well. very vulnerable children, who suffered abuse for the

sexual pleasure of huw edwards. to what extent would a suspended sentence whereby he will edwards doesn't serve time in prison in keeping with the other is found guilty of these offences. ., , other is found guilty of these offences. . , , offences. -- huw edwards. it is about the _ offences. -- huw edwards. it is about the level _ offences. -- huw edwards. it is about the level of _ offences. -- huw edwards. it is about the level of child - offences. -- huw edwards. it is about the level of child sexual i about the level of child sexual abuse in this country. in 2020 38 in ten people are people who have these videos do not receive a custodial sentence for numerous reasons. we have seen recently the government has had to release a number of prisoners because of a lack of capacity in the criminal justice system, prison spaces. there needs to be a really serious look in relation to the scale of abuse and what message it gives. is it a valid punishment? does it act as a

deterrent for others? how will we deal with the scale of child abuse in this country? it is a serious question this government does need to address as soon as it possibly can. [30 as soon as it possibly can. do stay with _ as soon as it possibly can. do stay with us _ as soon as it possibly can. do stay with us if you would. i need to go back to westminster magistrates' court where we find our correspondent. what are you hearing from inside the court? ., , are you hearing from inside the court? . , , ., court? huw edwards is now in the dock. _ court? huw edwards is now in the dock. in _ court? huw edwards is now in the dock, in court _ court? huw edwards is now in the dock, in court one. - court? huw edwards is now in the dock, in court one. he - court? huw edwards is now in the dock, in court one. he is| the dock, in court one. he is wearing a navy blue cardigan, jacket and a crisp white shirt with a button—down collar and trousers as we saw him wearing when he walked into court a short time ago. his hair was sickly style. he appeared to walk slowly to his seat and briefly sat down before standing again to confirm his name, date of birth and his address. he looks tired and

drawn, i am told that often the sign of someone who has been warned they may go to prison, i am told, by colleagues from inside the court. there is no sign of the bag he took with him. the prosecutor setting out the case said that huw edwards and alex williams began their communications in 2018. they lasted several years till 2022. they met in person on one occasion and there is a solitary phone call in may 2018. the court has also been told the interaction was based on online chat. williams was using a dark web browser. his van was examined by south wales police and it was obvious he had been communicating with huw edwards. it was clear they had been communicating over various platforms. the only chat that could have been recovered was

from a whatsapp chat on williams fein. williams received a 12 month suspended sentence for sending the images. 41 of the images included children and seven were deemed to be of a serious sexual nature. two of the images involve the child between the ages of seven and nine. that indicates perhaps a sentencing will take place this morning, hopefully in the next hour or so. we heard from his barrister previously injuly, he was putting his defence forward for edwards. he told the court back and mr edwards did not keep any images, did not send any to anyone else and did not and has not sought similar images from anywhere else. we also had edwards had both mental and physical health problems and the prosecution

asked the magistrate to consider a suspended sentence. that was injuly consider a suspended sentence. that was in july when consider a suspended sentence. that was injuly when huw that was in july when huw edwards pleaded guilty to those three charges. now prison, as i said, is a possibility, but there are also other options like community order all being sent on a sex offender programme. it has started and we expect a bit more news in the coming minutes. we we expect a bit more news in the coming minutes.- we expect a bit more news in the coming minutes. we saw from those arrival _ the coming minutes. we saw from those arrival pictures _ the coming minutes. we saw from those arrival pictures just - the coming minutes. we saw from those arrival picturesjust how- those arrival pictures just how much media interest there is. reflecting of course the position that huw edwards held in the bbc. position that huw edwards held in the bbc-— in the bbc. that is right. there is _ in the bbc. that is right. there is a _ in the bbc. that is right. there is a huge - in the bbc. that is right. there is a huge amountl there is a huge amount of interest. this is huw edwards, one of bbc news biggest stars. he anchored the prestigious ten 0'clock news and took over from david dimbleby to anchor the prestigious election programme. he was the biggest name in news

and he is a convicted criminal, and he is a convicted criminal, a sex offender awaiting his punishment. we are hearing more about the chat between him and alex williams. he was the man who sent in those explicit images. we heard mr williams was paying not insignificant sums of money, low hundreds of pounds for gifts and presents in return for the images he received. williams used the money, more than 1000, to support himself at university. while most of the images were of adult man, a significant proportion were of children. 41 of the 377 images were of children. seven of those 41 images were deemed to be of those 41 images were deemed to be other serious sexual nature and these were children. two of them involved a child between them involved a child between the ages of seven and nine. the

bbc has had _ the ages of seven and nine. the bbc has had a _ the ages of seven and nine. the bbc has had a lot _ the ages of seven and nine. the bbc has had a lot of questions to answer, notjust from parliamentarians but from other sections of the media about what they were doing once they knew that huw edwards had been arrested. the knew that huw edwards had been arrested. �* �* ., , , arrested. the bbc has been criticised — arrested. the bbc has been criticised by _ arrested. the bbc has been criticised by some - arrested. the bbc has been criticised by some for - arrested. the bbc has been| criticised by some for paying huw edwards after he was arrested. the director—general has made clear the £200,000 or so he was paid between when he was arrested and when he left the organisation on medical grounds, the bbc has made clear it wants the money back and thatis it wants the money back and that is what the lords committee was told last week, he has asked huw edwards for the money back. we also had from the chairman of the bbc, he wrote an e—mail to all staff after mr edwards pleaded guilty to those three charges injuly, saying he is the villain in this piece. there was a lot of condemnation and strong

language from the chairman. the bbc seems to be incredibly upset by what has happened and, as i said, critics are asking why he was paid that money from when he was arrested because a small group in management knew that he had been arrested over serious offences. however, some in the legal world has said the biggest he was right to continue paying him with the mantra you are innocent until proven otherwise. there is a debate going on between some critics of the bbc and some of those who feel there was not much else the bbc could do but continue to pay him until it was clear whether he was guilty of those crimes or not.- of those crimes or not. thank ou of those crimes or not. thank you very _ of those crimes or not. thank you very much- _ of those crimes or not. thank you very much. as _ of those crimes or not. thank you very much. as i - of those crimes or not. thank. you very much. as i mentioned before, we have colleagues inside the court who are going to be keeping us updated as to what is happening during those proceedings. i am joined what is happening during those proceedings. iam joined by what is happening during those

proceedings. i am joined by a partner at law firm, an experienced lawyer in child abuse claims. we were hearing about potential mitigation defence barristers might make in a case like this, huw edwards entered a guilty plea and has been suffering from physical and mental health issues. to what extent does that, in your view, mean a sentence should be watered down, if you like? i sentence should be watered down, if you like?— down, if you like? i think it is uuite down, if you like? i think it is quite an— down, if you like? ithink it is quite an important - down, if you like? ithink it is quite an important point| down, if you like? i think it i is quite an important point to remember that with sexual abuse cases you hear from victims of survivors that you have a victim impact statement. that will not happen today that those children who are abused, what has been the impact on their lives? what is the impact being on that education in relation to drink issues, drug issues, relationship difficulties, impacts on that education in relation to drink

issues, drug issues, relationship difficulties, impacts unemployment, we do not know. it is an important aspect of this case, their children, which is what we are talking about. that will not be covered, it seems. in relation to mitigation, the fact is, if huw edwards did have physical health issues, mental health issues, we need to seriously question, does that explain why he had these images or not? and these videos. it seems totally perverse, to be frank, that it can be a justification for his actions. people across the country have mental health and physical health issues. they do not then go on to do what he did. he is going to have to face up to the crimes he committed, to be totally frank. that needs to be done as soon as possible. we that needs to be done as soon as possible-— as possible. we were saying earlier that _ as possible. we were saying earlier that the _ as possible. we were saying earlier that the vast -

as possible. we were saying| earlier that the vast majority of people convicted of charges like this do not actually served time in prison, to what extent is that down to the lack of space in ourjails? i extent is that down to the lack of space in ourjails?— of space in our “ails? i think it is twofold. _ of space in ourjails? i think it is twofold. one _ of space in ourjails? i think it is twofold. one is - of space in ourjails? i think it is twofold. one is that. of space in ourjails? i think| it is twofold. one is that the ability to obtain these images, this videos, is increased. it hasn't picked up the speed of this issue. the second is prison spaces. we know of a significant number of abusers who do this. there are so many more, where we need more police officers, we need more funding for the criminal court system and also more prison spaces. the trinity of the criminal justice system is desperately in need. as a lawyer who represents at the survivors i will not stand by and allow finances to take whatjustice is. that is what we are dealing

with. there are significant delays in having statements taken by the police, in obtaining justice through the criminal system and delays of not weeks, months or sometimes years to get to trial and then receiving sentences which do notjustify receiving sentences which do not justify or are receiving sentences which do notjustify or are not not justify or are not proportionate notjustify or are not proportionate to the impact caused to abuse survivors. i appreciate this government is very new and it is facing a number of different issues. always a problem. a problem. a country which does not deal with a piece correctly is one which is failing everyone. it is so endemic at the moment in this country. we need to do a lot more. we had an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse which published its finding in 2022. £200 million spent in to that inquiry, 20 recommendations which have

still not been implemented. there are things we can do and need to do. the question is, when will there actually be done? we'll have to wait to find out. done? we'll have to wait to find out-— find out. do stay with us if ou find out. do stay with us if you would- _ find out. do stay with us if you would. we _ find out. do stay with us if you would. we will - find out. do stay with us if i you would. we will continue find out. do stay with us if - you would. we will continue to talk in a short while. let's go back to westminster magistrates' court where we find our senior uk correspondent. what are you hearing from colleagues inside the court?— the court? huw edwards went inside a short _ the court? huw edwards went inside a short while _ the court? huw edwards went inside a short while ago. - the court? huw edwards went inside a short while ago. he l the court? huw edwards went| inside a short while ago. he is currently in the dark. from my colleagues inside court, i understand they are discussing his liaisons with alex williams, the man who sent huw edwards hundreds of explicit images. 41 of them were of children and seven deemed to be of a very serious sexual nature. two of the images involve the child between the ages of seven and nine. we

understand ian hope, who is prosecuting, said on the 2nd of february 2021 alex williams askedif february 2021 alex williams asked if he were sending images which were too young. three days later huw edwards replied but don't send anything under age. 0n the 11th of august, williams contacted edwards and said he has some naughty images. edwards asked him to go on. williams said, young, and edwards replied, go on. edwards replies that ages can be deceptive. when william suggests some of the images may be illegal, edwards replies, 0k, don't. we knew this prior to the hearing. edwards had said on a couple of occasions he didn't want anything illegal sent to him. 0pening these images will send to the category of making indecent images. we know it is serious enough to click on the image

and open such severe photography, some moving images, some videos, some stills. as i said, huw edwards could face sentencing today. the more we hear, they're more likely it sounds as if he will be. there is a possibility that the magistrate sends the case to the crown court if he feels he has insufficient sentencing powers. the magistrate can only send a sentence of 12 months, anything more has to go to the crown court. a reminder of the case, alex lynn sent huw edwards 377 explicit images, 41 involved children and seven were of an extreme sexual nature. —— alex williams. two involved a child between the ages of seven and nine. speaking in defence of edwards injuly when he pleaded guilty, his barrister told the court, mr edwards did not keep any

images, did not send anyone to any one as and has not sought similar images again. we were told he had mental and physical health problems and the prosecution asked the magistrate to consider a suspense suspended sentence. prison is a possibility. there are other options such as a community order or sending edwards on a sex offender programme. he did take a wheelie bag in with him. you may read into that that he has been told a custodial sentence might be on the cards. his lawyers will be putting forward mitigating factors, for example, his mental health. he has struggled with that for years. we know that because it has been very much in the public domain from when he was working at the bbc. no doubt about it, this was a huge full from grace. the man was the

face of the bbc news at ten and now is a convicted sex offender awaiting his punishment. thank ou. we awaiting his punishment. thank you- we have — awaiting his punishment. thank you. we have been _ awaiting his punishment. thank you. we have been speaking i awaiting his punishment. thank you. we have been speaking to | awaiting his punishment. thank. you. we have been speaking to a partner at her law firm. he is an experienced lawyer in child sexual abuse claims and has very kindly stayed with us to continue that discussion. we just heard a description of some of those whatsapp messages which were exchanged between alex williams and huw edwards, describing naughty images. what does that say to you about how people who engage in this sort of viewing of these images of abuse really regard the victims, regard what they are doing? victims, regard what they are doinu ? ., , victims, regard what they are doinu ? . , ,., , doing? that is the point. they doing? that is the point. they do not. children _ doing? that is the point. they do not. children as— doing? that is the point. they do not. children as young - doing? that is the point. they do not. children as young as l do not. children as young as seven to nine kamate you know they are children, you know

they are children, you know they are children, you know they are pre—pubescent. there is no grey area. it is a total disregard as to who those children are, what is happening in their personal lives. are they children from wales? are they children from wales? are they from scotland, thailand or america? what is the impact on them? what happens after that image, what has happened to that child? what are they doing now? what suffering did they undergo? it is despicable as to what he did. it was not one image, it was not two, it was 41. that image, it was not two, it was a1. that is a significant number. it was not over a day, week, it was over months. he didn't report the person sending these images and videos, didn't report him to the policeman didn't tell him

to stop sending images, continued to receive them. it is really distressing. from what your colleague was saying, huw edwards was off the voice of the nation, definitely a welsh icon. i am half welsh, half italian. his full from grace is significant because of how he portrayed himself, his coverage of abuse cases, for example, of the funeral of the queen. he was the voice of safety sensibility. when you put on the news, it was his voice that told you what was happening. for him to be doing these acts and viewing these images and videos, it is inexcusable. it truly is. there are so many others like him. the focus is on huw edwards today. i do plead with the

government to look at this issue won a much wider scale. when will the government to implement recommendations from the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse? when will they finally listen to survivors of child abuse and act appropriately? huw edwards is the focus today and it is a much wider issue, sadly. i am readin: much wider issue, sadly. i am reading some _ much wider issue, sadly. i am reading some of _ much wider issue, sadly. i am reading some of the - much wider issue, sadly. i am reading some of the reporting from our legal affairs correspondent, who is inside the westminster magistrates' court at this hearing. if you would like to follow it you can do so on our live page on the bbc news website. i wanted to share this with you as you will not have seen or heard it. dominic has just posted that alex williams offered images to huw edwards and he offered to send him £200 to buy some expensive trainers in exchange for more images. we are hearing from the lawyers in the court

of these men continued to discuss how much money mr edward should send. williams continued to send the images and they were marked as unread. 0ne category c clearly describe the boy as a 13—year—old. the prosecution barrister says in february, 2021, williams asked if he were sending images that were too young. three days later, edwards replied, don't send anything under age. it makes for some very distressing reading, does it not? given nearly all abusers are men, what do we need to do about that, about how men here engage in this stuff, and it is mostly men how they view the people, their children being exploited? how they view what it is they are doing. it matter of societal wider education? it is a really difficult _

societalwider education? ut 3 a really difficult question. we try to do as much as we can to close a legal loopholes and change the law to increase dbs checks, criminal records checks and to increase surveillance and to increase surveillance and improve technology as much as we can do. there is a much bigger issue. it is almost exclusively male abusers. female abuse has also abuse but 99% are men. abusing children, whether female children, we also know most sexual abusers who are adults are also man. there needs to be greater education from a younger age group relating to things like consent which applies to adult relationships. the fact is most people know the difference between right and wrong. if you are a man in your 30s, a0s, 50s, you know the age of

consent. you know a child of the age of seven, nine, 13, 1a, 15 is not able to consent to sexual activities. you know that. if you are an educated person, such as huw edwards, he knew the law, he had reported on cases like this. it was not as if he could say, i don't know, i wasn't aware of this. a child who is said in comment nine, 13, you know they are not above age, they clearly are children, often prepubescent. we do need to do a lot more, whether that is education, whether that is education, whether it is increasing the punishment for these offences happening and we know it is happening now these offences to act more of a deterrent, punishment for these offences to act more of a deterrent, whether working with technology whether working with technology companies and the like to companies and the like to increase the filters to stop increase the filters to stop these images from being shared these images from being shared so frequently, so easily across so frequently, so easily across

so frequently, so easily across so many different countries. we so frequently, so easily across so many different countries. we need to do more to be totally need to do more to be totally frank and we need as much help frank and we need as much help as we can do to stop abuse. we as we can do to stop abuse. we cannot rely upon children to do cannot rely upon children to do that. they know the average age that. they know the average age of disclosure for children are of disclosure for children are still roughly about 30 years. still roughly about 30 years. if you suffer abuse when you if you suffer abuse when you are ten great you often don't are ten great you often don't disclose it until you are about if you suffer abuse when you are ten great you o�* are don't if you suffer abuse when you a0. the fact that children are are ten great you o�* are about disclose it until you are about a0. the fact that children are in images are helpful. the in images are helpful. the police have that documentary police have that documentary evidence. i hope the children evidence. i hope the children are getting the support they are getting the support they need. we need to hearfrom the need. we need to hearfrom the government as to what they are government as to what they are going to do to prevent abuse, going to do to prevent abuse, thatis thatis going to do to prevent abuse, that is the only thing we can going to do to prevent abuse, that is the only thing we can do. prosecution is important, do. prosecution is important, rehabilitation of survivors is rehabilitation of survivors is really key, prevention is what really key, prevention is what we must focus on, particularly we must focus on, particularly with the financial struggles we with the financial struggles we face, the prisons and so on, face, the prisons and so on, what are we going to do as a what are we going to do as a country to prevent this from country to prevent this from

happening and we know it is happening and we know it is happening and we know it is happening and we know it is happening now. often happening now. often we do these interviews and journalists ask, does abuse continue to happen? yes, it does. this is a clear example. this is current abuse. images have been shared on the 20 20s. it is still happening. as a society we need to be a lot more switched on about this i mean need more increased policy and regulation on sharing images such as this. —— and we need. images such as this. -- and we need. ., ~ images such as this. -- and we need. . ,, i. images such as this. -- and we need. ., ~' ,, , images such as this. -- and we need. . ,, i. , . images such as this. -- and we need. ., ~ , . ., need. thank you very much for sta in: need. thank you very much for staying with — us on us on bbc news to talk about this important issue so widely. thank you very much. let's go back to westminster magistrates' court and join oui’ our senior correspondent. you are following what is happening inside the court with the help of colleagues at the hearing. that is right. we have several colleagues in court following

the events closely. what i can tell you is edwards has been sitting, looking standing at the prosecutor throughout the hearing so far. he is occasionally looking down and fidgeting, listening intently to the prosecution and detailing what the probation service established about his state of mind. the probation service has told the court it used what was called a sexual offender predictor tool to establish his risk of reoffending. the tool indicates that the risk of internet offending by edwards, meaning indirect sexual offending is median. the risk of serious harm to children is medium. a reminder of the case, huw edwards is inside court are waiting to be sentenced this morning. there is still the possibility that case could be thrown to crown court if the

magistrate feels he has insufficient sentencing powers. the magistrate can only sentence up to 12 months. anything more needs to be referred to the crown court, a reminder of the charges that huw edwards has pleaded guilty to the top three counts of making indecent images of children. he was sent hundreds of explicit images by 25—year—old alex williams, a convicted paedophile. a1 of those images were of children, seven deemed to be other serious sexual nature. they are categorised as being in category a, their most severe of images of sort. his barrister told the court in july that mr edwards did not keep any images, did not send any to anyone else and did not and has not sought similar