Out

Paul Goldspring decided on Huw Edwards' sentence. He's a Senior District Judge and Chief Magistrate.

He graduated from the University of Hertfordshire in 1993, on their first ever LL B course, studied for his LPC at Nottingham Law School, and worked in a small practice in South East London prior to specialising in criminal litigation. Having set up his own practice by 2004, by 2009, Paul was appointed Deputy District Judge, then, in 2013, he became a full-time District Judge. He was appointed Senior District Judge in 2021, at the age of 49 - the youngest ever in the post, carrying leadership responsibilities for over 300 District Judges and Deputy DJMCs across England and Wales. 

Goldspring read from pre-sentence reports, saying Edwards turned to social media engagement with men and women to boost his fragile self-esteem and reignite his sexual interest in men which he had managed since 1994. Another report detailed Edwards' upbringing and family life, adding he has shown "insight, shame and remorse" and would be "exceptionally vulnerable" in prison.  It also outlined the breakdown of the relationship with his wife.  He doesn't consider his bisexuality to be an excuse for infidelity and has a "high level of remorse for the betrayal of his partner and children", the judge says.

Mr Goldspring said, in his view, the custody threshold had been crossed, with the appropriate sentence being 12 months for the most severe abuse images. However, taking into account the mitigation and early guilty plea, the sentence would be six months suspended for two years; evidence showed he could be rehabilitated. The suspended sentence comes with requirements to complete a sex offender programme, and he will be placed on the sex offenders register for seven years - meaning he has to notify the police of his whereabouts.