August 2021 Convicted paedophile ex-BBC radio DJ, 69, who is member of Church of England’s General Synod avoids jail after he was caught with stash of child abuse images A former BBC DJ and lay member of the Church of England’s General Synod has avoided jail for making child abuse images. Ex-radio broadcaster Nigel Rousseau Edwards, 69, of Coddington, Herefordshire, was spared jail by th judge A court heard the convicted paedophile was caught with a stash of sick child abuse images when police raided his home and seized his computer hard drives. Edwards, who used to work for BBC Hereford and Worcester, initially denied responsibility and blamed somebody else who had access to his computer. But he later pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children between October 2011 and February 2012 at Worcester Crown Court. Edwards avoided a custodial sentence after being handed an eight-month jail sentence, suspended for two years on Tuesday. Sentencing, Judge James Burbridge said: ‘There are a modest number of indecent images and movies, nonetheless each represents serious abuse of a child. ‘You well know that at 69 years of age, and because of your antecedence.’ Edwards was previously sentenced to four years in prison for child sex offences committed while working for BBC local radio in the 1990s. He was jailed in 1997 after being found guilty of indecent assault and two counts of a serious sexual offence against a 13-year-old boy in 1992. A court heard that while a lay member of the General Synod – the CofE’s legislative body – Edwards befriended the teenage victim when they sang in the same choir together. He later assaulted him at Edwards’ former home in Malvern, Worcs., as well as indecently assaulting another male victim in 1994. Lynette McClement, prosecuting, said Edward’s latest crime was uncovered when police arrested him in connection with a separate incident. She said: ‘A computer tower was seized, which contained two hard drives. ‘They were examined (by a forensic officer). The operating system had Mr Edwards name on it – the category C movies involved children as young as 10. ‘A further report showed that in fact Nigel Edwards’ profile was active on that computer at the time that material was accessed, so he was using it. Edwards was also ordered to carry out 30 days rehabilitation activity days, pay costs of £340 and a victim surcharge of £156. Edwards, who already signs the sexual offences register, was also placed under an indefinite sexual harm prevention order that restricts his use of the Internet.