Imogen James
Live reporter

We are closing our live coverage of former BBC presenter Huw Edwards, who has been given a six-month sentence - suspended for two years - for child abuse image offences.

The 63-year-old faced chief magistrate Paul Goldspring at Westminster Magistrates' Court today, two months after pleading guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children.

Today we heard remarks from the prosecution and defence outlining the case, plus mitigating factors.

After being told his reputation was in "tatters", Edwards was given a six-month suspended sentence for a period of two years.

He will also be placed on the sex offenders' register for seven years, and undergo rehabilitation. It caps a major fall from grace for the man who, until earlier this year, was the BBC's best-paid journalist.

Thanks for following. This page was edited by Rob Corp, Paul Gribben and Owen Amos.

Your writers from our London office were myself, Johanna Chisholm and Gabriela Pomeroy with analysis from Helena Wilkinson and Noor Nanji. In court, we had Dominic Casciani and Lucy Manning.

• We've put together a timeline of the case, so you can understand it in full
• And for more on the day's proceedings, here is an in-depth look

As we've reported, Huw Edwards has avoided jail - but he will be placed on the sex offenders' register for seven years. But what does that mean?

Within three days, he has to report to a local police station and register his details, including his address. He also has to tell officers if he moves house.

Police may visit people on the register from time to time to check they are living there, depending on the risk level.

If someone registered spends more than a week away from home - or travels overseas - they must tell the police. A decision is then taken about any need to inform the country they are travelling to. Individuals on the register also need to supply details of their bank accounts.

But there is no publicly-available list of offenders for people to access. Under "Sarah's Law" - formally the Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme - parents and carers can ask police if someone with access to their child has been convicted or suspected of child abuse.

Image source, Julia Quenzler

Noor Nanji
Culture reporter

This is one of the outstanding questions after today’s hearing.

Huw Edwards was the BBC's highest-paid journalist, receiving a salary of £475,000-£479,999 between April 2023 and April 2024, when he resigned.

The BBC asked him to hand back £200,000 which was paid to him after he was arrested last November.

The corporation's director general, Tim Davie, said last Tuesday that "discussions" were "under way" about the possibility of clawing back the money but it had not yet been repaid.

We're yet to hear any update on that statement.

Image source, EPA

Former BBC News presenter Huw Edwards has avoided jail, two months after pleading guilty to three child abuse image offences.

• Edwards was given a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years - so he will not go to prison unless he offends during that time
• He will be on the sex offenders' register for seven years, and will have to complete rehabilitation
• In July he admitted three offences of making indecent images of children. This means "to cause to exist, to produce by action, to bring about" - so in downloading them, he committed the offence
• Of the 377 images found in Edwards' possession, 41 were indecent. One was of a seven to nine-year-old; most were of 13 to 15-year-olds
• The crimes were discovered by South Wales Police who found the messages on the phone of another man, Alex Williams
• Prosecutors said in court today that Edwards runs a "risk" of re-offending and they had only seen some of the communications - only the WhatsApps could be recovered
• Edwards' defence said the former newsreader "has no memory of viewing any particular images"
• The defence also said Edwards had suffered mental health problems, with a psychiatrists' report saying the risk of Edwards taking his own life was "high and significant" if imprisoned
• Sentencing Edwards, Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring said: "It is not an exaggeration to say your long-earned reputation is in tatters"
• He also said: "I am of the clear view that you do not present a risk or danger to the public at large, specifically to children. There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation"

Noor Nanji
Culture reporter

We’ve just heard from the Internet Watch Foundation on the sharing of child sexual abuse imagery that’s been at the heart of this case.

The body’s interim boss Derek Ray-Hill says it is "shocking" that WhatsApp - an app most people have on the phone in their pocket – "allows child sexual abuse imagery to proliferate".

"There are thousands of people committing offences like Edwards’ and there is currently nothing to prevent this," he says.

He calls on WhatsApp - which is owned by social media giant Meta - to explain how it will prevent this happening in future, and also urges UK media regulator Ofcom to do more.

Lucy Manning
Special correspondent

Martin Grace, threat lead for child sexual abuse at the National Crime Agency, reminds us that looking at indecent images is not a victimless crime.

He tells me: "Behind every image is a vulnerable child who has been exploited and has been abused.

"And every time that image is viewed, circulated and distributed, again and again and again, leads to revictimise that child and continue that level of abuse."

More of this interview can be seen later today on BBC iPlayer in our documentary, Huw Edwards: Fall from Grace.

Helena Wilkinson
BBC News

A suspended sentence means the offender doesn’t go to prison straight away, but is subject to a probation period.

Basically they have to stay out of trouble with the law for however long the court says.

If they don’t and they commit another offence during the time of their suspended sentence they are likely to have to serve the original sentence plus one for the new offence.

According to the Sentencing Council factors indicating why it might be appropriate to suspend a custodial sentence include a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and strong personal mitigation.

Edwards has not been given any special treatment, a former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has been telling BBC Radio Four's World At One programme.

Ken Macdonald, a cross-bench peer who was DPP of England and Wales from 2003 to 2008, says the court followed standard sentencing guidelines.

"Edwards has not been treated any differently to anyone else," he says.

"This sentence is fairly standard. A pretty conventional sentence."

Macdonald adds that he does not think courts would be comfortable with the idea of "making an example of someone because he was famous".

We can now bring you the first image of Huw Edwards after he was given a suspended six-month sentence for child abuse image offences.

Taken just moments ago, Edwards is seen leaving Westminster Magistrates' Court, this time again with his travel case in tow.

We've just had a statement from Huw Edwards' former employer.

A BBC spokesperson said:

Lucy Manning
Reporting from Westminster Magistrates' Court

As Edwards was sentenced he leaned forward in the dock with his hands together on his chin and listened intently to the judge.

He looked emotional in parts as the judge talked about medical reports that he is at risk of suicide and that he remains concerned about the impact on his family.

Edwards also looked upset when the judge set out the impact that indecent images of children have on those young people who are made to appear in them.

He showed little reaction afterwards but kissed someone on the cheeks who approached him as he left the courtroom.

It was such a startling image in court. The man the judge described as one of the most recognised newsreaders watched by millions, now with a few dozen eyes trained on him as he was sentenced for serious crimes.

It is a terrible downfall for a man who had so much personally and professionally.

We have just received this statement from the Crown Prosecution Service.

Claire Brinton of the CPS says: “Accessing indecent images of children perpetuates the sexual exploitation of them, which has deep, long-lasting trauma for these victims.

“The CPS and Metropolitan Police were able to prove that Edwards was receiving illegal images and videos involving children via WhatsApp.

“This prosecution sends a clear message that the CPS, working alongside the police, will work to bring to justice those who seek to exploit children, wherever that abuse takes place.”

Dominic Casciani
Reporting from Westminster Magistrates' Court

The sentencing is over.

Huw Edwards stands and leaves the dock with his legal team to meet the Probation Service.

He appears to let out a slight sigh - perhaps of relief - but gives nothing else away.

Dominic Casciani
Reporting from Westminster Magistrates' Court

Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring tells Edwards he had concluded that the custody threshold had been crossed.

The appropriate sentence would be 12 months for the most severe abuse images. However, taking into account the mitigation and early guilty plea, the sentence would be six months suspended for two years.

The magistrate says Edwards did not pose a risk to the public or children and an immediate custodial sentence was not necessary because the evidence showed he could be rehabilitated.

The suspended sentence comes with requirements to complete a sex offender programme and further rehabilitative sessions - work that is overseen by the Probation Service.

Edwards will be placed on the sex offenders register for seven years - meaning he has to notify the police of his whereabouts.

Helena Wilkinson

We can now show you a custody image of Huw Edwards.

The photograph was taken of Edwards after his arrest in November.

It’s the first time we’ve seen it – it has been released by the Metropolitan Police.

Custody images of offenders are often released after they are sentenced.

Dominic Casciani
Reporting from Westminster Magistrates' Court

The judge is passing sentence now.

Edwards is given six months' imprisonment suspended for two years with a requirement to complete a sex offender programme.

Dominic Casciani
Reporting from Westminster Magistrates' Court

Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring is now turning to the precise nature of the sentence, based on the harm that Huw Edwards caused. He says that the starting point is a sentence that goes from 26 weeks to three years custody.

He says the fact the pictures were moving images was an aggravating factor - meaning something that pushes the sentence up.

Turning to mitigation, the magistrate notes that Edwards has no previous convictions, had voluntarily stopped receiving the images, had shown remorse and had a mental disorder.

He would be vulnerable in prison.

Dominic Casciani
Reporting from Westminster Magistrates' Court

Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring says a psycho-sexual therapist, an expert in the case, concluded that Edwards had been in a “perfect storm” at the time of the offending.

He had turned to online relationships amid a very difficult period in his life.

The expert told court in a report that Edwards had a risk of taking his own life and is a “complex individual” due to psychological factors in his childhood - including his relationship with a “puritanical” father.

Edwards nods in agreement as this part of his personal history is read out.

"He has shown insight, shame and remorse for his actions," the expert said.

Dominic Casciani
Reporting from Westminster Magistrates' Court

Goldspring says he accepts the evidence confirms that, thanks to his mental disorder at the time of the offending, Edwards has no memory of which of the images he had viewed.

“You did not keep them and you did not send them on to anyone else. I accept that you had issues with your mental health. The degree that you received sexual gratification from the images is difficult to assess.”

Dominic Casciani
Reporting from Westminster Magistrates' Court

Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring has begun sentencing and is now doing as all judges do - outlining the facts of the offences and noting details about the defendant’s character.

“You were perhaps the most recognised newsreader and journalist in the UK,” he tells Huw Edwards. “It is not an exaggeration to say your reputation is in tatters.”

Edwards is leaning forward and listening to the judge. His hands are clasped in front of his mouth as he listens, his elbows propped on his thighs.