The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has urged the BBC to provide transparency over their investigation into Huw Edwards.
The disgraced TV News presenter yesterday plead guilty to making indecent images of children when appearing in court.
Edwards had been charged earlier in the week for the offences that took place between December 2020 and April 2022.
The NUJ has now issued a release urging the BBC to be fully transparent in its account of the handling of the investigation into Huw Edwards, its knowledge of his arrest, and the circumstances of the ‘shocking crimes’ he plead guilty to yesterday.
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: “The appalling revelations about Huw Edwards have been met with shock and revulsion across the BBC with morale amongst newsroom colleagues particularly low.
“It is important that the BBC provides a clear and transparent account of its handling of the investigation, and the circumstances of their knowledge of his arrest before charges were made.
“It is understandable that there is public concern over all these matters. However, the NUJ is also mindful of the overarching importance of the principle of due process in internal procedures and this being properly discharged, of an employer’s duty of care and of the need to respect contractual and collective agreements.
“It is also important that the BBC offers reassurances that everyone, regardless of their role or perceived status in the organisation, is treated the same and that power imbalances are not allowed to influence decision making.”
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During Edwards appearance at court he was charged with having downloaded seven category A images, which are the most serious, 12 category B images, and 22 category C images via WhatsApp.
The court was told that the estimated ages of the children pictured in the worst of the images were between 13 and 15 but one of them was aged between seven and nine.
The bulk of the images were sent over a two-month period and included a category A film of a young boy.
The NUJ’s message comes as BBC director-genral Tim Davie is set to face questions from the UK Governmen’ts Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.
The BBC has said it knew of the veteran broadcaster’s arrest on “suspicion of serious offences” in November, but continued employing him until April.
Before he resigned in April on medical advice, Edwards was paid between £475,000 and £479,999 for the year 2023/24, according to the BBC’s latest annual report.
This last salary marked a £40,000 pay rise from 2022/23, when he was paid between £435,000 and 439,999.
The BBC has said that if Edwards had been charged while he was still an employee it would have sacked him, but at the point of charge he no longer worked for the corporation.
After his guilty plea on Wednesday, a BBC spokesperson said: “In November 2023, whilst Mr Edwards was suspended, the BBC as his employer at the time was made aware in confidence that he had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences and released on bail whilst the police continued their investigation.
“At the time, no charges had been brought against Mr Edwards and the BBC had also been made aware of significant risk to his health.”
The corporation added: “The BBC is shocked to hear the details which have emerged in court today. There can be no place for such abhorrent behaviour and our thoughts are with all those affected.
“Today we have learnt of the conclusion of the police process in the details as presented to the court.
“If at any point during the period Mr Edwards was employed by the BBC he had been charged, the BBC had determined it would act immediately to dismiss him. In the end, at the point of charge he was no longer an employee of the BBC.
“During this period, in the usual way, the BBC has kept its corporate management of these issues separate from its independent editorial functions.”
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