News

Huw Edwards accused of grooming as young man speaks out

Published

1 year ago

August 3, 2024

THE YOUNG person at the centre of the original allegations against Huw Edwards has now come forward, stating that he feels “groomed” by the broadcaster.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mirror, the young man, who claims he was paid by Edwards to send sexually explicit pictures of himself when he was a teenager, accused the former newsreader of exploiting his vulnerability. The Metropolitan Police, however, found no evidence of criminal behaviour in that matter last year.

This week, the ex-BBC presenter pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children in a separate case.

The story first broke in July last year when The Sun newspaper reported on an unnamed young person’s alleged contact with Edwards. It published a claim by his mother that Edwards—then not publicly named—had paid her child tens of thousands of pounds for explicit photos over three years, beginning when they were 17.

Initially, The Sun referred to the individual as a “young person” without specifying a gender. A few days later, the lawyer representing the young person disputed the mother’s account, saying, “the allegations reported in the Sun newspaper are rubbish” and adding in a letter to the BBC that “nothing inappropriate or unlawful” had occurred.

In his new interview on Saturday, the young man described Edwards as “an A-class manipulator”. He revealed that he had first contacted Edwards, along with other celebrities, on social media when he became homeless. The 62-year-old sent him money before asking if there was anything he would do in return.

“Although it was a friendship at the beginning, it did change. He would say things like, ‘Are you going to do something for me then?’ I needed help, so I did,” he said. “I feel like he sort of fed on my vulnerability… as he knew I needed the money. I felt like I was being groomed.”

The young man claims he sent explicit messages and videos to Edwards, who allegedly sent £35,000 over two years in return. He noted, “Because of who he was as a BBC presenter and because he had such power… I felt like I trusted him and that he cared. But that’s how the manipulation started. I looked up to this man but he didn’t really care about me. I felt like he was taking advantage of me but I felt I had to listen to him because he was Huw Edwards.”

Despite initially staying silent to protect Edwards, the young man said he felt “sick” when he heard the news this week.

The Sun also published a video of Edwards allegedly waiting for the young man at a Welsh train station, filmed by the young man’s stepfather. The stepfather told the newspaper, “I was so angry. I just wanted to confront him and tell him to stop doing what he was doing.”

Edwards was suspended by the BBC in July last year. His wife later publicly named him as the TV presenter at the centre of the allegations. The young man revealed that Edwards texted him from an unknown number last October, a few weeks before his arrest, asking him to download the messaging app Signal to “catch up.”

Edwards has not commented on the claims and resigned from the BBC in April, citing medical advice. On Wednesday, he admitted to possessing 41 indecent images of children, which had been sent to him by another man on WhatsApp. These included seven category A images, the most serious classification, two of which depicted a child aged between seven and nine.

Police later revealed that the man who sent the images to Edwards was a convicted paedophile. Until last year, Edwards was one of the main presenters on BBC One’s News at Ten and often fronted coverage of major national events. He was charged last month and could now face a jail sentence. He will next appear in court on September 16 .

News

Amber weather warning as ‘danger to life’ rain set to hit Pembrokeshire

Published

32 minutes ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Dyfed-Powys Police and council teams prepare as Monday deluge expected

COMMUNITIES across Pembrokeshire are being urged to brace for severe weather after the Met Office issued an amber “danger to life” warning for heavy rain, covering the county from 4:00am to 9:00pm on Monday (Dec 15).

Up to 80mm of rain is expected widely, with 100mm possible on higher ground in north Pembrokeshire and the Preseli foothills. With rivers already running high following weeks of persistent wet weather, Natural Resources Wales says there is a heightened risk of flooding in low-lying areas, including parts of Haverfordwest, Remington Bridge, Merlin’s Bridge, Tenby, Neyland and along the Western Cleddau.

Travel disruption likely

The Met Office warns that fast-flowing or deep floodwater could pose a danger to life, with road flooding likely on key Pembrokeshire routes such as the A40, A487 and A478. Bus and rail services may face disruption.

Dyfed-Powys Police said officers would be monitoring known flood hotspots throughout Monday and urged drivers to avoid non-essential travel during the worst of the downpours.

A police spokesperson said: “Please plan ahead. Do not risk driving through floodwater. Conditions may change very quickly.”

Yellow warnings already in place

A yellow rain warning is active for southwest Wales from midnight tonight (Sun 14 Dec). A separate yellow warning for mid and north Wales began this afternoon.

Pembrokeshire County Council said its highways and emergency planning teams are on standby, with extra staff monitoring river gauges and drainage across the county. Sandbags are available where required.

Residents urged to prepare

Natural Resources Wales is advising residents in flood-prone areas to take precautions today, including:

Checking local flood alerts
Moving valuables upstairs where possible
Securing outdoor items against strong winds
Checking on vulnerable neighbours

The Herald understands that emergency services expect the heaviest rainfall between 6:00am and 3:00pm on Monday, with further unsettled weather forecast later in the week.

More updates to follow

This is a developing story. The Pembrokeshire Herald will bring live updates as information comes in from the Met Office, NRW, PCC and emergency services.

Health

Major investment confirmed for GP services in Wales

Published

1 hour ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Government unveils £41m boost, but practices warn pressures remain acute

MORE than £41m in extra funding will go into general practice in Wales this year following a new agreement between the Welsh Government, NHS Wales and GP leaders. Ministers say the deal provides stability at a time of rising demand — but the settlement comes against a backdrop of sustained pressures, recruitment challenges and concerns over patient access.

The package includes a 4% uplift to the General Medical Services (GMS) contract for 2025-26, in line with independent DDRB pay recommendations, and a guaranteed 5.8% recurrent uplift from 2026-27. The Welsh Government says the multi-year commitment will allow practices to plan ahead, modernise systems and strengthen community-based services.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said the investment showed an “unwavering commitment” to general practice, adding: “The 4% pay uplift ensures fair recognition for GPs and practice staff who work tirelessly to deliver care for communities across our country. Multi-year funding gives practices the confidence to invest in the transformation primary care needs.”

However, the announcement comes at a time when many Welsh practices continue to report severe workforce pressures, rising demand, and longstanding challenges in recruiting new partners. GP numbers have fallen over the past decade, with some practices handing back contracts or operating list closures because of unsustainable workloads. Patient satisfaction with access has also declined, according to the latest Welsh GP Patient Survey.

What the deal includes

The settlement for 2025-26 comprises £37.9m of new investment and £4m in re-invested capacity funding, with the key elements including:

A 1.77% uplift in expenses, intended to help practices manage inflationary pressures in energy, staffing and running costs.
A recurrent £20m stabilisation fund to support practices facing immediate operational pressures and to prepare for wider reform under the incoming Sustainable Farming Scheme model for health.
An increased partnership premium, aimed at retaining experienced GPs and encouraging new partners into a model that some say has become less attractive due to financial and regulatory risk.
A full review of the GMS allocation formula — the first in more than 20 years — which determines how funding is distributed between practices. Some rural and deprived communities have long argued the current system does not reflect the complexity of local health needs.

Wider context

General practice remains the foundation of the NHS, accounting for around 90% of patient contacts, yet it receives a proportionally small share of the overall health budget compared with hospital services. Both the Welsh NHS Confederation and GPC Wales have repeatedly warned that without sustained investment, primary care risks being unable to meet increasing demand from ageing populations and rising chronic illness.

The Welsh Government’s own “community-by-design” programme relies on shifting more care closer to home, reducing pressure on emergency departments and supporting earlier intervention. For that to be achieved, GP leaders say investment needs to be matched with workforce expansion, improved digital systems, and clear strategies to retain experienced clinicians.

Working groups will now be set up to examine access standards, diabetes prevention and new service models.

Mr Miles said he was pleased that GPs would be “actively contributing to creating innovative care models that enhance access, improve outcomes and deliver care locally.”

GP representatives broadly welcomed the deal but have stressed that it is only one step in addressing the scale of challenge across primary care.

Community

Narbelles WI support Food Bank with festive donation

Published

2 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Group marks December meeting with charity collection and Christmas celebrations

NARBELLES WI rounded off the year with a festive December meeting featuring a bring-and-share buffet, party games and a Secret Santa gift exchange.

Members also used the occasion to support families in need across the county, collecting food items and presenting a £120 cheque to Ann Watling from Pembrokeshire Food Bank. The donation represents the proceeds of the group’s bucket collection during Narberth Civic Week 2024.

A spokesperson for the WI said the group was delighted to finish the year “with fun, friendship and a chance to give something back to the community.”

(Photo: Narbelles WI members presenting the cheque to Ann Watling, Pembrokeshire Food Bank.)