The BBC’s director normal, Tim Davie, has mentioned the company will “take a look at all choices” for recovering pay from disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards.
Davie mentioned the company was exploring the potential of authorized motion to claw again a few of its funds to Edwards, who continued to be paid for 5 months after his arrest. He admitted this week to accessing indecent photographs of youngsters.
Earlier than he resigned in April citing medical points, Edwards was paid between £475,000 and £479,999, in line with the BBC’s newest annual report. He acquired a £40,000 pay rise in 2023/24. The general public pays £169.50 a yr for the BBC licence price.
When requested concerning the 62-year-old preserving his pension, Davie instructed BBC Information that the sums had been “very troublesome to claw again, nigh on not possible”. He added: “With regards to pay, once more, [it is] legally difficult, however we’ll take a look at all choices.”
Lisa Nandy, the tradition secretary, was in disaster talks with BBC bosses on Thursday night as Keir Starmer mentioned he was “shocked and appalled” by the scandal.
Edwards, who was beforehand the BBC’s highest paid newsreader and the face of the Information at 10 bulletin, admitted three expenses of constructing indecent images. He was despatched 41 unlawful photographs by the convicted paedophile Alex Williams, seven of which had been of essentially the most severe sort.
Edwards was arrested in November 2023 however that was not made public till he pleaded responsible this week. The company has mentioned it knew of the newsreader’s arrest on “suspicion of significant offences” in November however continued using him till April.
Requested if he was happy on the BBC’s dealing with of the disaster, the prime minister mentioned: “In relation to Huw Edwards, I’m shocked and appalled, I’m positive as all people is.”
BBC Information reported that the company was instructed by police to not share particulars of Edwards’ arrest for youngster abuse picture offences. The Metropolitan police has confirmed that it instructed the BBC in “strict confidence”.
The BBC has additionally mentioned that if Edwards had been charged whereas he was employed by the company it could have sacked him.
Charlotte Rees-John, an employment legislation associate at authorized agency Irwin Mitchell, mentioned: “It will have been potential to dismiss Huw Edwards after he was arrested, however it’s not with out threat. I think this was thought of however the safer strategy was taken, which was to attend till charged. Suspension on full pay was then applicable as was the pay rise if contractual.
“Many different organisations would have taken the danger to guard their fame, however the BBC is below a larger stage of scrutiny they usually additionally needed to take into account that he was struggling along with his psychological well being and as such liable to severe hurt.
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The scandal with Edwards comes within the wake of the crimes of Jimmy Savile, the TV star and serial sexual abuser who died in 2011 earlier than his offences grew to become public data. It additionally comes weeks after the BBC delayed publishing a report on the conduct of the previous Radio 1 presenter Tim Westwood due to an persevering with police investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct going again 4 a long time.
Westwood “strongly denies all allegations of inappropriate behaviour”. He has not been charged with a felony offence.
On the time the annual report was printed, Davie defended Edwards’ £40,000 pay rise, saying: “We’re all the time attempting to be very even handed with the spending of public cash and nobody needs to waste a pound. However what you’re attempting to do, and from the onset of that affair, was attempting to behave proportionally, pretty and navigate this appropriately.”
Edwards resigned from the BBC in April “on the premise of medical recommendation from his medical doctors” after unrelated allegations that he paid a youngster for sexually specific pictures. Police discovered no proof of felony behaviour in relation to this matter.
Edwards will subsequent seem in court docket on 16 September.
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