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'WE'RE DISGUSTED'
Paedo Alex Williams’ neighbours share horror as it’s revealed HE was sicko who sent child sex images to Huw Edwards
Families were shocked to find out their children had been playing with a paedophile living nearby
ALEX Williams' neighbours have told of their horror after finding out he was the sicko sending child sex images to Huw Edwards.
The convicted paedophile, 25, was today unmasked for the first time as the man who sent 41 indecent images - including two videos of a boy as young as seven - to the former newsreader in a sick WhatsApp chat.
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Williams, from Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, was handed a suspended sentence after previously pleading guilty to a string of child sex offences.
His neighbours, who had no idea they'd been living next to a vile criminal in an estate with "lots of young children", have now shared their "disgust".
Mum-of-two Megan Haines, 26, said: "It's disgusting, this is an estate with lots of young children playing in the street every day.
"Why weren't we told that he was convicted for paedophile offences four months ago?
"He was able to keep it quiet from everyone, even his parents didn't know.
"There should be a change in the law so families are told where paedos are living."
The mum says she lives four doors away from the home Williams gave as his address to Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.
She said: "I knew Alex more when I was growing up, we're about the same age so we used to play together.
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"He still lives in the street with his mum and dad so I would see him driving past.
"A couple of years ago my little girl had a fall and he drove us to hospital. It's mental that he's been doing this and got involved with Huw Edwards.
Huw Edwards used position to regularly groom and solicit young people… we have seen evidence of his predatory behaviour
"A lot of kids play in this street, it's a very close-knit community. As far as I know he's still living here, I saw him just a couple of days ago."
Another mum, who wished to remain anonymous, echoed her neighbour's concerns.
She said: "I'm furious, my kids play at the end of the street where he lives because it's quieter.
"Why weren't we told a convicted paedo is living there?"
Another added: "It is bloody appalling. Just tell him never to come back here."
It's disgusting, this is an estate with lots of young children playing in the street every day.
Megan Haines
Police investigating Williams' crimes seized a phone revealing a Whatsapp chat involving Edwards.
The former BBC presenter yesterday admitted three counts of making indecent images of children.
Westminster Magistrates' Court was told seven of the 41 images fall under Category A - the most serious classification.
They included two moving images of a young boy, possibly aged between seven and nine years old.
He also had photos of other children aged between 13 and 15 stored on his phone that were classed as Category A.
A further 12 images were grouped as Category B and 19 as Category C.
How are indecent images defined and categorised?
Under section 1 of Protection of Children Act 1978, it is an offence to possess indecent photographs of children.
The images are categorised under three groups ranging from A - the most serious - to C.
- Category A: Explicit material involving penetration, sexual activity with an animal or sadism (deemed the most severe).
- Category B: Explicit material that is non-penetrative sexual activity (the mid-range in terms of seriousness).
- Category C: Explicit material involving erotic posing (the least severe).
Source: The CPS
Edwards had engaged in an online chat with Williams on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021.
During this time, the paedo sent Edwards 377 sexual images, of which 41 were indecent images of children.
It has now emerged Williams pleaded guilty in March to seven offences relating to possessing and distributing indecent images.
Edwards is now facing a maximum 10 year sentence when he is sentenced on September 16.
Westminster Magistrates' Court heard Edwards had not created any of the images himself.
In February 2021, Williams asked Edwards whether the pictures he was sending were too young - causing the broadcaster to ask not to send anything illegal.
Then, in August 2021, Edwards was sent a video featuring a boy who was "of younger age than virtually all of the other indecent images".
Williams told Edwards the boy was quite young looking, and that he had more images which were illegal.
The court heard Edwards told him not to send any illegal images.
No more of these pictures or video were sent and the pair continued to exchange legal pornographic images until April 2022.
The veteran broadcaster was arrested in November and charged on June 26 - although the information was only released on Monday.
The BBC yesterday confirmed it knew in November their star newsreader had been arrested over child sex images but kept paying him for another five months.
Edwards, who had been suspended in relation to different allegations, remained employed on a full salary of nearly £480,000 until he quit the broadcaster on “medical advice” in April.
The BBC’s annual report presented last week by Director-General Tim Davie revealed Edwards was the third highest-paid star from April 2023 to March this year and even received a pay rise.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is now hauling in Mr Davie to explain why the BBC carried on paying Edwards after his arrest.
Tory shadow culture minister Julia Lopez said: “Licence fee-payers have a right to know why Mr Edwards was awarded such a high salary given the timing and nature of the allegations.”
BBC's statement in full
“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. The police have confirmed that the charges are not connected to the original complaint raised with the BBC in the summer of 2023.
“Nevertheless in the interests of transparency we think it important to set out some points about events of the last year.
“In November 2023, whilst Mr Edwards was suspended, the BBC as his employer 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 and the BBC had also been made aware of significant risk to his health.
"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. We want to reiterate our shock at Mr Edwards’ actions and our thoughts remain with all those affected.”
Staff have described Edwards still being paid as a “disgrace”.
Last week Edwards was charged with three counts of making indecent images but that stayed a secret until we broke the news on Monday.
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Questions have also been raised about the secrecy surrounding the case.
Media lawyer Mark Stephens said: “It needs to be abundantly clear that he wasn’t getting any form of special treatment.”