BBC Director Normal Tim Davie defended the broadcaster's choice to not sack Huw Edwards in November regardless of figuring out the fabric was in probably the most severe class of indecent photos of youngsters.
Davie stated in an interview with the BBC at the moment that the corporate had taken “tough selections in a good and considered manner”.
Requested what the BBC was advised in November, he replied: 'We knew it was severe however we didn't know the particular particulars, aside from the class of offences concerned.'
BBC administration say they weren’t conscious of the ages of the kids within the footage.
When requested if Edwards would nonetheless obtain his pension, Davie replied that it was “very tough to get that again, virtually not possible.”
He added: 'That is sadly the particular manner it really works.
“When it comes to cost, it’s nonetheless legally difficult, however we are going to have a look at all choices.”
The veteran presenter admitted to having 41 photos of kid sexual abuse on WhatsApp, together with seven of probably the most severe sort.
The 62-year-old dedicated the three offences between December 2020 and April 2021.
The kid abuse supplies despatched to Edwards by 25-year-old convicted paedophile Alex Williams included seven Class A supplies (probably the most severe), twelve Class B supplies and 22 Class C supplies.
Of the class A photos, the estimated age of a lot of the youngsters was estimated to be 13 to fifteen years outdated, however one baby was between seven and 9 years outdated, the courtroom was advised.
Davie added that the BBC “doesn’t need to see something that I feel we must always share with the police, or something that’s so severe that I might really feel now we have not responded appropriately”.
He continued: 'I can say with certainty that in relation to the crimes that now we have seen, that are really horrific, the proof that’s accessible will not be within the fingers of the BBC.
“If I've seen proof of that, it's not a sophisticated choice.”
Yesterday, the BBC stated it was “shocked” to listen to the small print that emerged in courtroom, with Davies repeating: “We had been very shocked. Nobody knew the small print of what we heard in latest days, and that was deeply disturbing.”
He additionally stated the BBC didn’t make the allegations public as a result of police had requested them to not.
“After we decided in November, we clearly confronted a tough choice and we thought of it very rigorously,” he stated.
“The police got here to us and gave us info that that they had arrested Edwards. However they needed to guarantee that they had been fully confidential, and the explanation they known as us at the moment is as a result of it's a technical course of to guarantee that staff are protected and there's no danger.”
He added: 'One other issue at this level was the essential obligation of care consideration. I feel it was proper for us to say we’d let the police do their job, after which we are going to act when prices are made.'
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Throughout his profession, Edwards was a presenter of the BBC's Information At Ten for 20 years, presenting protection of main nationwide occasions, together with the announcement of the loss of life of Queen Elizabeth II on the BBC and protection of her funeral.
He was beforehand the BBC's highest-paid newsreader, with a pay scale of £475,000 to £479,999 for the yr 2023/24, based on the broadcaster's newest annual report.
He resigned from the BBC this yr, 5 months after his arrest amid allegations he paid a youngster for sexually express pictures.
He has not been seen on display because the information broke in July 2023, till his departure was introduced.
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