Will Huw Edwards get a custodial sentence?

Thinking the opposite of Owen Jones is right !

Rosie51

Grandma70s

That should read I DON’T think the sentence is lenient.

You actually think a 6 months suspended sentence for being part of the reason children are photographed, and in this case videoed, being sexually abused is not lenient, but just and appropriate? These images so enjoyed by Huw Edwards and others like him are in existence for ever. Those children don't ever get to escape from the harm perpetuated on them by perverts, he gets 7 years on the sex offenders register. Total travesty of justice!

I heard a judge today say that he could see why the sentence had been given and that it was in line with the lower end of guidelines, but he was surprised.
He made the point that as part of his job he had needed to view photos and videos and seen the same children in them at different ages, they were not normally a one off but could go on for years unless the perpetrators were caught.
So Huw Edwards gets six months suspended, whilst the children get many years of pain and unhappiness and their childhood is stolen. The children have, in effect, to serve a life sentence as the memories of this horror never go away.

Its fascinating that one of the first reactions to the initial story about Hugh Edwards was condemnation of The Sun who broke the story.
Owen Jones was vocal in his criticism of the 'disgusting rag' A handy reminder that whatever opinion Owen holds you know you will be right if you take the opposite one.

Thank you Wyllow.

Thank you for clarification Rosie51

This is the full magistrates statement and assessment as to the sentence awarded.

www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EDWARDS-SENTENCE-REMARKS-FINAL.pdf

GG13 you can't be jailed for failing to buy a TV licence, but you can be jailed for failing to pay the fine imposed when guilty of the offence.

Doodledog Huw Edwards' offences passed the threshold to serve a prison sentence, which means community service and/or a fine were not appropriate punishment. The magistrate chose to suspend the sentence, he didn't have to. He also declined to place an order whereby any devices Edwards used could be examined at any time to check he wasn't accessing similar material. The magistrate accepted the defence's assessment that Edwards was low risk for repeat offending, rather than the probation service's assessment he was medium risk.

I'm sure it is, particularly in light of Edward's standing in life.

Who would want to face the fact that they are the sort of person that everyone despises, even the hardest criminals?

Perhaps lying to self is easier

Simply and accurately put MissA

Thats what is pernicious - he was seeking help and treatment, but didnt try and deal with his fantasies.

Because if he was honest, then he would have to own his abhorrent behaviour, I suppose, and he didnt want to.

It's a choice.

MissAdventure, yes. My thought is often - damaged people damage people

It’s so important to stress, some people who experience trauma survive. I’m in touch with some adults I met as abused children. Against the odds and despite some ups and downs, they’ve done good in many areas of life
I confess to having been less than impressed by Edwards’ complaints about his father and how Cardiff not Oxford left him feeling less than colleagues. Why not be honest with his therapist about fantasising about accessing images of child abuser and going on to do this. Agencies are familiar with this scenario and could have helped him

To wheel out one of those thoughts - hurt people hurt people.

Could being abused in school caused Charles Spencer to become a bully

Starmer announced soon after the election that the extent of violence against women and girls was a national emergency and would be treated as such. I thought at the time, let’s call it women and children. Boys are also subjected to horrific abuse. It’s not clear whether we know less because historically, boys were less likely to make allegations
Nicky Campbell has done good work on his radio 5 phone in in high lighting the abuse he and other boys suffered at school. Charles Spencer has written about sexual abuse at his boarding school. So hopefully things are changing

People who haven’t had work or direct experience of sexual abuse/exploitation still find it hard to accept the extent of it. To find it hard to believe respectable, well liked professionals like Huw Edwards and our primary school head teacher can be sex offenders. Sadly, they walk amongst us, often charming, likable, fun yet hiding their dark side

We do need to review sentencing. So far as I’m aware, the offender management programmes , no matter how hard those delivering the training work - aren’t effective. More research needed.
EDWARDS accessed the dark web. He insisted to his barrister that he’d no memory of viewing certain images. Their expert said low risk. The probation officer said medium, which sounds more accurate - anyone saying they can’t remember !

I hope that the Huw Edwards case will make them look again at sentencing in this area as it doesn't mean new law.

But is it only the wealthy that have access to these images? I doubt that. Huw Edwards may have bought his, but the skills to hack into the darker reaches of the web can be passed around in any group.

Now is the time.
Starmer was a barrister, lawyer, chief prosecutor - he could sort out the Criminal Justice System and make the sentences fit the crime.
Sadly I don’t think everyone would be satisfied whatever decisions were made, but at least he could use his experience to try.

I am afraid that comparisons will be made, and actually I think a discussion about how we as a society view crimes and the level of seriousness of particular crimes is valid.
If I had to choose between some feckless woman falling over whilst trying and failing to aim a wheelie bin at the police, and Huw Edwards as to level of risk and likelyhood of re offending I choose feckless woman every time.
It's also without doubt about class, and resources available to a particular class.

Am I correct in that if you do not pay your TV License you can be jailed?

Those who view and pay for paedophilic pictures and/or videos are given what basically amounts to a slap on the wrist.

It doesn’t sit right with me.

Today 13:47 Dinahmo

The fact that his life is ruined is incidental and of no concern to the court; the children being abused in those moving images have had their lives ruined by these despicable men and others like them.

The fact is that the sentences for these types of crime seem to be far too lenient. Whether or not the criminal's life is ruined matters not, it is irrelevant and not part of the Criminal Justice System.
It is whether the justice fits these crimes which is the debatable point.

I know “comparisons are odious” but they send a message to the general population don’t they?
This or that is serious and deserves a custodial sentence, something else is illegal but society does not need to be (physically) protected from this person.
When I studied Crime and Punishment nearly 60 years ago we learned about the rationale behind custodial sentencing , including
A deterrent to others
A way of protecting society
Deprivation of liberty of the individual (the punishment element)
A period in which the offender might learn to tun their life around , or restitution.
No doubt there was more!
But I have noticed in Magistrates’ courts how crimes against institutions or involving property or money seem to warrant harsher sentencing than crimes against people ( in the physical sense).
Does this reflect the values of our modern society?

Grandma70s

BlueBelle

What do you think his sentence should be Grandma70 s ?
Do you have grandchildren how would you feel if it was your grandchild being abused to titillate some dirty old man ?

I think his sentence is probably about right. I don’t believe in revenge punishments.

Yes, I have grandchildren. I don’t think I would feel any different. The damage has been done and we will not undo it by a custodial sentence.

Yes, I have grandchildren.
Would you feel the same if this was your very young grandchild,

I don’t think I would feel any different. The damage has been done and we will not undo it by a custodial sentence.

Seeing justice done is not revenge. The sentences for these kinds of crime need to be revisited; they are obviously not a deterrent and this vile trade in child sexual abuse continues.

Yes, I have grandchildren.
Would you feel the same if this was your very young grandchild in the photographs?

Dinahmo

To add to RosiesMaw2 list above - what about the sentences handed down to the members of just Stop Oil recently.? The co-founder got 5 years and the others 4 years prison sentences. I call those sentences outrageous and appalling.

Can I just ask what the sentences for JSO protesters have to do with HE's sentence? Also, how would it make HE's sentence any more acceptable if they had got a fine instead of a custodial sentence?

What would you feel if you were driving a loved one to hospital and they died as a result of a road closure? Can it be fair to differentiate between acts that cause death like that, and the same acts that just turn out differently by luck?

I am sure Edwards will have a bolthole all ready, possibly abroad; his face is well-known here but not particularly distinctive and he will soon be able to change his appearance and pass un-noticed. I doubt if colleagues, friends or family will maintain contact, but even if he leads a lonely life as a pariah it will be far more comfortable than the hard time he would have received in prison. Shame.