A former editor of The Sun has accused his former newspaper of “inflicting terror” on BBC presenter Huw Edwards.
Mr Edwards was identifed by his wife on Wednesday night as the presenter facing allegations over payments for sexually explicit images, first reported in The Sun last week.
After the Metropolitan Police and South Wales Police both said on Wednesday no criminal offence has been committed, the newspaper said it “had no plans to publish further allegations” and argued it was now a matter of the BBC to investigate.
But the newspaper faces criticism for its handling of the scandal, including from one former senior member of staff.
David Yelland, who edited The Sun from 1998 to 2003, tweeted on Wednesday evening: “I wish @thehuwedwards well. The Sun inflicted terror on Huw despite no evidence of any criminal offence. This is no longer a BBC crisis, it is a crisis for the paper. Huw’s privacy must now be respected. Social media also needs speedy reform.”
Huw Edwards has not been seen on the BBC since the scandal broke— (BBC)
Jon Sopel, a former colleague of Mr Edwards, says the BBC presenter is “very angry” and “felt very let down” by the coverage of the allegations made about him.
Mr Sopel, who worked with Mr Edwards for decades, told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that he was in touch with him before he went to hospital.
“I think [he] felt very let down by what happened in The Sun, furious with their coverage, not overly impressed with the BBC’s coverage, either.”
Mr Sopel said he did not see what the claims had to do with anyone else.
“If there’s no question of illegality, there’s no question of sexual assault and things might change, but, as things stand now, there’s been no illegality, there’s been no abuse of power, as far as I can see. Therefore, what is it to do with anybody?”
Mr Sopel said coverage of the allegations “got ugly”, adding: “I think it became a feeding frenzy. I think it was a competition to see who could go further the fastest.”
Defending its coverage, The Sun insists it never claimed the then-unidentified presenter was guilty of criminality and says its reporting of the claims by the parents of the young person involved was in the public interest.
Columnist for the paper Rod Liddle said the paper had behaved “impeccably”.
“It’s done exactly the right thing… holding the powerful to account,” he told BBC Newsnight. “It has tried not to hurt people.”
And another former Sun editor, Kelvin MacKenzie, praised the newspaper for standing up for a mother “worried out of her life”.
“Only The Sun went to battle for her. They deserve the highest praise,” he tweeted.
A Sun spokesperson said on Wednesday: “We must also re-emphasise that The Sun at no point in our original story alleged criminality and also took the decision neither to name Mr Edwards nor the young person involved in the allegations.
“Suggestions about possible criminality were first made at a later date by other media outlets, including the BBC.
“From the outset, we have reported a story about two very concerned and frustrated parents who made a complaint to the BBC about the behaviour of a presenter and payments from him that fuelled the drug habit of a young person.
“We reported that the parents had already been to the police who said that they couldn’t help.
“The parents then made a complaint to the BBC which was not acted upon.”
The Independent has asked The Sun to comment on Mr Yelland’s criticism.
