Metropolitan Police/PA
Questions over whether Huw Edwards received special or ‘two-tier’ treatment have been raised after the former BBC anchor was handed six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, after admitting accessing indecent images of children as young as seven.
The 63-year-old previously admitted three charges of “making” indecent photographs after he was sent 41 illegal images by convicted paedophile Alex Williams over WhatsApp.
At Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, Edwards held his hands together and leaned forward throughout his sentencing hearing as he avoided a custodial sentence.
The outcome of the trial has resulted in backlash on social media, with several people pointing to harsher sentences handed to UK rioters.
But according to The Secret Barrister, the ruling is an entirely expected sentence for offences of this type.
Citing sentencing guidelines which can be found here, the social media account detailed the path judges will have taken to arrive at their decision, taking into account all factors that contributed to the ruling including the fact that Edwards pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
The account notes that the fact that the guidelines and the law have been followed “does not mean people can’t reasonably disagree with the sentence”.
However, to the question of whether Huw Edwards has received “special” or “two tier” treatment, “the answer is unequivocally “No”.”
“As somebody who has prosecuted and defended more of these cases than I can recall, this is the very outcome I would have expected”, they add.
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