Huw Edwards had pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children.

The former BBC journalist was found in possession of 41 photographs on WhatsApp; of those images, seven were classed as category A, 12 as category B and 22 as category C. 

Category A is the most serious and included images of children aged between 13 and 15-years-old.

The court was told the images were sent to Edwards between December 2020 and August 2021.

"There's no suggestion in this case that Mr Edwards has... in the traditional sense of the word, created any image of any sort," Edwards’ barrister, Philip Evans, said.

"It is important also to remember for context that devices, Mr Edwards' devices, have been seized, have been searched, and there's nothing in those devices.

"It is only the images that are the subject of the charges that came via a WhatsApp chat.

"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."

Under English law, the term ‘making’ also encompasses opening, accessing, downloading and storing illegal images. 

Until recently, Edwards was one of the BBC’s most high-profile journalists, presenting its coverage of election night and other major events. 

He resigned from the corporation in April, several months after claims emerged that he paid a teenager for sexually explicit images. 

At the time, the Metropolitan Police said it did not believe any crime had been committed.

Main image: Huw Edwards. Picture by: Matt Crossick/PA Wire