![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/bbc-star-who-paid-teen-for-sex-pics-could-be-charged-face-years-in-prison/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/silhouette-man-smart-financier-calculating-830422131-1.jpg&description=BBC SEX PROBE Scarlet Howes Jane Matthews Published : 11:07, 9 Jul 2023 THE top BBC star who is accused of paying a child for sexual photos could face criminal charges and years behind bars, an expert says. The well-known presenter allegedly gave the teen more than £35,000 for sordid images in a scandal that has rocked the national broadcaster. 1 The top BBC star accused of paying a child for sex images could face prison Credit: Shutterstock The Sun exclusively revealed that the star was taken off air, and that the child's mum saw images of him sitting on his sofa in his underpants. Now Nazir Afzal , the former Chief Crown Prosecutor who led the prosecution in the Rochdale grooming gang cases, has told the Times the presenter could potentially be charged with sexual exploitation under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. He added: 'The police should have been engaged as soon as they worked out whether the complaint was genuine. 'Where are we now — the middle of July? Six, seven weeks on. 'They should have advised the police that this is a matter that they should be investigating, and that should have been done weeks ago. 'There's no justification for the police not having become involved as early as possible.' Under the Protection of Children Act 1978, it is an offence to "make, distribute, possess or show any indecent images of anyone aged under 18". This counts even if the images were created with the young person's consent. It is also a criminal offence to ask a child under 18 to send a sexual image of themselves - and causing or inciting sexual exploitation of a child carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Making or possessing indecent images carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. Speaking of the presenter, the mum yesterday recalled: 'I loved watching him on TV. 'So I was shocked to see a picture of him sitting on a sofa in his house in his underwear. 'I immediately recognised him. 'He was leaning forward getting ready for my child to perform for him. 'My){kind=link}
THE top BBC star who is accused of paying a child for sexual photos could face criminal charges and years behind bars, an expert says.
The well-known presenter allegedly gave the teen more than £35,000 for sordid images in a scandal that has rocked the national broadcaster.
The Sun exclusively revealed that the star was taken off air, and that the child’s mum saw images of him sitting on his sofa in his underpants.
Now Nazir Afzal, the former Chief Crown Prosecutor who led the prosecution in the Rochdale grooming gang cases, has told the Times the presenter could potentially be charged with sexual exploitation under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
He added: “The police should have been engaged as soon as they worked out whether the complaint was genuine.