'REPUTATION IN TATTERS' OVER CHILD ABUSE IMAGES

Damning verdict on shamed former BBC presenter Huw Edwards as he avoids jail

- Robert Kellaway

HUW Edwards left court a free man yesterday, sparking fury at the leniency of his sentence.

The disgraced former BBC TV news host admitted accessing indecent images of children potentially as young as seven.

He issued a grovelling apology to his family, those he betrayed and victims of child abuse. But he claimed he had "no memory" of viewing the images. The father-of-five said he had been in the middle of a "perfect storm" of a mental health crisis and pleaded guilty until he quit on medical advice. Edwards has been asked to repay the £200,000 salary he received after his arrest but no deadline has been set. BBC director-general Tim Davie warned the corporation will "explore" legal processes if he refuses.

Rani Govender, child safety online policy manager at the NSPCC charity, said: "Online child sexual abuse is at record levels and offenders like Edwards who fuel this crime should be in no doubt about its severity and the impact it has on victims." The newsreader left court yesterday with his personal life and high-flying career in tatters after admitting he was sent 41 illegal images by paedophile Alex Williams, 25.

He held his hands together and leaned forward throughout his sentencing hearing.

Having packed a small suitcase in case he was sent straight to prison, he gave a small sigh as he was handed the suspended term.

Edwards showed no emotion as he was told to attend a sex offender treatment programme plus 25 rehab sessions, and was put on the sex offenders' register for seven years.