Lets remind people who are justjoining us that we are covering the Sentencing Hearing of huw edwards. Seven of the images possessed by Hugh Edwards of the most serious type, and two were of a child between seven and nine. Hugh edwards paid Alex Williams hundreds of pounds of gifts and presents in exchange for the images. At one Point Alex William said he had naughty and young images, to which you average replied, go on, but he said he did not want to receive anything illegal. The pictures do most of the pictures are aged between 13 and 15. These communications lasted between 20182022. We communications lasted between 2018 2022. We havejust been hearing from seema. What else are you learning, seema . , , seema . This is very significant. Seema . This is very significant. He seema . This is very significant. He is. Seema . This is very significant. He is expressing remorse for his crimes. His barrister, philip evans, told the court that Mr Evans Mr Edwards wishes to apologise and that the court no how profoundly sorry he is. He acknowledges the hurt that is done to do is appear in such images. We apologise sincerely and makes it clear he has the utmost regret. He recognises the priceless Trust And Faith of so many people he has ruined and he has truly sorry that he has committed these offences. He has demonstrated real recognition of the harm such images calls. He has also gone on to say that the offence and can be linked to the grave situation of Mr Edwards was � s Mental Health. He said the key period of offending was in late 2020, after his Mental Health had deteriorated. He had begun receiving treatment for mental ill health in 2019 and that was inevitably interrupted by the pandemic in 2020. So there has been a lot of talk about his Mental Health here, lots of Mitigating Factors that has barrister has put forward, such as this is his first offence. A Prison Sentence is a possibility. We saw him walking earlier he could be sent unless Sex Offenders programme. The Chief Magistrate here will pass the sentence, which indicates that the sentence will be longer than 12 months in prison because that is as far as the Chief Magistrate can go. If this sentence is longer than that then the cases referred to the Crown Court. Thank you, sima. One of other colleagues, lucy manning, is also following the proceedings from the courtroom. She is posting updates on the bbc live page and has just written that Mr Edwards looks emotional as he reads out the apology. He admits that what he did was repugnant and betrayed the trust and he was truly sorry. We are joint again now by a partner at a law firm, an experienced lawyer in child sexual abuse claims. Im hoping that you manage to follow some of these proceedings. I would like to get your initial reaction to what you have been hearing, a about mitigation. Yes, there has been a lot about mitigation. Mr edwards has supplied this apology, as well. Some of the mitigation we have heard before, sadly, where Decision Making may have been impaired due to alcohol and other factors. Impaired due to alcohol and otherfactors. I have always felt that is insufficient because your innate Decision Making is innate. You know the difference between right and wrong. I have never really understood that, especially when we are talking about a period of time and the things which were committed. Viewing Child Abuse images is something that you shouldnt do sober or drunk. We have heard about the issues he has had and he is vulnerable. These children were abused for this mans pleasure. The detailed images of what was happening, im glad that You Edwards has apologised, im glad he has appreciated the impact notjust on those children, but also on his family and the impact it has had on society, as well. The apology is very important, but it doesnt take away the full impact of what he has done. There have been lots of mentions about his good character, and everyone has good character, of course they do, untilthey good character, of course they do, until they are caught as an abuser, be that a priest, teacher, sports coach. Until you are caught everyone has a clean Criminal Record and a good character. It has been put forward by his defence team. We will have to see how that factors into sentencing now for Hugh Edwards. Factors into sentencing now for Hugh Edwards. That of course is affected by Hugh Edwards. That of course is affected by this Hugh Edwards. That of course is affected by this is Hugh Edwards. That of course is affected by this is not Hugh Edwards. That of course is affected by this is not being affected by this is not being pushed up to the Crown Court, and that will affect the length of sentence that can be handed down. It of sentence that can be handed down. ,. ,. , of sentence that can be handed down. ,. ,. , of sentence that can be handed down. ,. ,. ,. ,. , down. It will be a maximum of a otential down. It will be a maximum of a potential 12 down. It will be a maximum of a potential 12 month down. It will be a maximum of a potential 12 month period. Down. It will be a maximum of a potential12 month period. Our. Potential 12 month period. Our experience indicates it will most likely be a suspended sentence. Regardless, if it is suspended for 12 months, the impact on those children who have been abused, it could be a lifelong impact for them. We also know the issues that we face with the criminalJustice System in prison spaces. Alex mitchell received a suspended sentence, but yes, it is a valid fact that it is being keptin valid fact that it is being kept in the magistrates court, not the Crown Court which has further sentencing powers. What further sentencing powers. What is our further sentencing powers. What is your professional further sentencing powers. What is your professional view further sentencing powers. What is your professional view of is your professional view of the fact they are now dealing with the issues of a potential relapse and how well suited She Edwards would be to further therapy and rehabilitation. Huw edawrds. And how isolated he has become. He has become. People who commit criminal he has become. People who commit criminal offences i he has become. People who | commit criminal offences can face prison time and that isnt good for anyone. It obviously has a significant impact on your ability to earn money, interact with society, the social benefits and the like. But if you commit the crime you have to pay for that. Rehabilitation is an important tool in the criminalJustice System, but it does involve the individual truly understanding what they have done wrong and changing. Look at the reviews, even though it may not it may not be extremely high, they are saying it is medium risk here, the factor is how long to be monitored this . Is he on the sex Offenders Register for five or ten years, can be feel comfortable that people like Huw Edawrds will truly be rehabilitated . It is a true risk. The impact of prison on Huw Edawrds, it could be significant on his mental and physical health. Ifully physical health. I fully appreciate physical health. Ifully appreciate that. The criminal Justice System is built on three pillars, punishment, at deterrence, and the third is to rehabilitate. Rehabilitate the offender to prevent this happening again. When the sentencing takes place, you need to think about those three key pillars and make sure that the punishment is proportionate and balance, for the victims, but also to take into account the position of Huw Edawrds as well. ,. , h, the position of Huw Edawrds as well. ,. ,. , well. Just reading some of the live reporting well. Just reading some of the live reporting by well. Just reading some of the live reporting by our well. Just reading some of the live reporting by our legal live reporting by our legal Affairs Correspondent inside the courtroom. He hasjust Affairs Correspondent inside the courtroom. He has just said the courtroom. He has just said the defences Expert Evidence is that edwards has a low risk of reoffending. His lawyer is challenging whether Huw Edawrds needs to be subjected to a restrictive sexual Harm Prevention Order, emphasising his previously good character and the fact that he hasnt offended since the period in question. Talk to us about what a sexual Harm Prevention Order is and what it aims to do. We know he is and what it aims to do. We know he has is and what it aims to do. Know he has not affected during the period of time when there has been a Police Investigation and we know the impact it has had on him. The sexual Harm Prevention Order prevents him from engaging in certain activities which may pose a risk of sexual harm to society, so as in the title the question often is the duration of the order, the duration of being placed on the sex Offenders Register and rehabilitation, as well. It comes down to risk unfortunately. There are certain offences, whether it is drug dealing, previous bodily harm, there is a higher chance of it happening again. When it comes down to child sex abuse, it does come down to risk. Unfortunately we cannot say that You Edwards will not do this in future. I do hope that he has learnt the errors of his way and i hope he can be rehabilitated, but there is a risk element. Reports have been commissioned indicates the prospect of that. But it is looking into a crystal ball. The key thing now is to truly self reflect and talk about what he has done to change as ways, to never do this again. That is the key consideration going forward. We that is the key consideration going forward. Going forward. We hurt his Defence Barrister going forward. We hurt his Defence Barrister make Defence Barrister make reference to Thats Remorse and apology. Dino, please stay with us. We are going to go back now to see architecture. What more are you hearing . We to see architecture. What more are you hearing . To see architecture. What more are you hearing . We have heard that he has are you hearing . We have heard that he has apologised are you hearing . We have heard that he has apologised for are you hearing . We have heard that he has apologised for his i that he has apologised for his crimes as part of his mitigation his barrister, told the court that Mr Edrich wishes to apologise and let the court know how profoundly sorry he is. He understands the Heart Thatis is. He understands the heart that is done to those who appear in such images. He knows he has betrayed the priceless Trust And Faith of so many people. Mr evans said the Event And Cant be linked to the grave situation of his Mental Health. He said the key period of offending was in late 2020 after his Mental Health had significantly deteriorated. He said he had begun receiving treatment for Mental Health in 2019 and that was interrupted by the pandemic. The Expert Evidence was put forward and it said that She Edwards had a low risk of reoffending. We know that the mitigation has ended, so his barrister has finished putting his case forward for a lesser sentence. The prosecution talked about his Mental Health but also talked about a Probation Report that said he was a medium risk of reoffending. Not the magistrate will consider what both sides have said. We know that the magistrate is dealing with the case himself. There was a possibility of being sent to the Crown Court earlier if he felt that he didnt have sufficient sentencing powers, but he said he will deal with it, meaning that the sentence can be longer than 12 months in prison, or it could even be less than that. It may not get a Prison Sentence at all, it
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