The Sun has claimed that at no point did it allege criminality in its reporting of the Huw Edwards story.
Seeking to row back on some of its early reporting, the tabloid put out a statement insinuating that “other media outlets” suggested possible criminality had occurred.
It comes after The Sun published an article headlined ‘BBC SEX PROBE: Top BBC star who ‘paid child for sex pictures’ could be charged by cops and face years in prison, expert says’ just three day’s ago.
The Metropolitan Police has since said no criminal offence had been committed by the presenter.
Commenting on the matter, Hacked Off chief executive Nathan Sparkes said: “It is utterly disingenuous for The Sun to now try to walk back the suggestions of criminality which have appeared in their newspaper, targeted at the presenter we now know to be Huw Edwards, in light of the police announcement that he has no case to answer.
“The substance, evidential basis, and public interest justification for this story now all look weaker than ever.
“A man has been hospitalised, his family has been destroyed, a young person has seen their drug addiction issue and family estrangement splashed across the newspapers for the world to pick over.
“Whatever further emerges in this story, and if The Sun has further public interest justifications or evidence of genuine wrongdoing they are hiding it very well, this episode demonstrates the extraordinary power the press has to inflict harm against people, and underlines the urgent need for an independent system of regulation as recommended in the Leveson Report.”
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