12 July 2023 , 20:26
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Jon Sopel has slammed the "terrible" coverage by the BBC of Huw Edwards being named as the presenter suspended following allegations he paid a young person for explicit images.
The co-host of daily podcast The News Agents tweeted: "Dear @BBCRadio4 @BBCNews. Well done on handling the breaking news about @thehuwedwards and the fact that he’s now being treated in hospital - but to then straight off back of that into a report on him facing fresh allegations of misconduct? That was just terrible."
Jon also appeared on LBC Radio on Wednesday to discuss the scandal, branding it a "brutal time" for broadcaster Huw.
He told Andrew Marr: "Well I’ve known Huw for probably 35 years. We were lobby correspondents together at Westminster, probably when you were on The Scotsman or something like that, at the end of the 1980s, early 90s. And worked together for a decade. You know, when I was in Washington, he would come over regularly and I would see him there. Look, I think it's been a brutal time for him. There was no criminality. And if there was no criminality, which we've had confirmed by the Metropolitan Police, what are you left with?
Huw Edwards was named as the presenter at the centre of the allegations (TOLGA AKMEN/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)"Someone who had a probably rather complicated personal life, who was wrestling with certain issues. He wouldn't be the first to do that. Huw has talked in the past about his depression. The Sun initially made some very serious allegations on the Saturday morning, that he, you know, might have solicited photos from someone who was underage, and therefore had committed a criminal offence. And that seems to have gone away completely, given what the Met has said this evening. And so you're thinking, well what is this all been about?
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"And it has exacted a terrible toll on him, as a result of the reporting. As a reporter, I would also say that I think some of my colleagues in BBC News need to look at themselves, because I think that some of what was said, you know, reported and led on last night, which again, was kind of, you know, so someone had a slightly complicated personal life. It didn't show criminality…”
On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Police confirmed detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime Command have now concluded their assessment and have determined there is no information to indicate that a criminal offence has been committed.
A statement said: "Detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime Command have now concluded their assessment and have determined there is no information to indicate that a criminal offence has been committed.
"In reaching this decision, they have spoken to a number of parties including the BBC and the alleged complainant and the alleged complainant’s family, both via another police force. There is no further police action. As such, the Met has advised the BBC it can continue with its internal investigation.
"We are aware of media reporting of further allegations against the same individual. No specific details or information about these allegations have been passed to us and therefore there is no police action at this time.
"Should evidence of criminality or safeguarding issues be identified at any point we would expect matters to be referred to the relevant police force."
A BBC spokesperson said: “We have seen the statement from the police confirming they have completed their assessment and are not taking further action. We’re grateful to them for completing this work at speed.
“The police had previously asked us to pause our fact finding investigations and we will now move forward with that work, ensuring due process and a thorough assessment of the facts, whilst continuing to be mindful of our duty of care to all involved.”