According to the Crown Prosecution Service, making indecent images can have a wide definition in the law and can include receiving them via social media.

Edwards's barrister Philip Evans KC told the court: "There’s no suggestion in this case that Mr Edwards has... in the traditional sense of the word, created any image of any sort."

I suppose the facts that he a) retained some of the images, b) didn't report having received them and c) continued talking to the man has some bearing on his charges.

Yes, and yes.

It's a very silly aspect of the law, which made sense before digital distribution (e.g making photocopies) but needs amending now.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service, making indecent images can have a wide definition in the law and can include receiving them via social media.

Edwards's barrister Philip Evans KC told the court: "There’s no suggestion in this case that Mr Edwards has... in the traditional sense of the word, created any image of any sort."

Could malicious parties use this to get anyone they choose into trouble by sending them images?

Yes, I think so.

Has anyone heard what's happened to the guy who sent the images? This presumably is the greater crime but there has been silence in the coverage I've seen

That's nice and all but did he report it to the police? CP is mandatory report by iirc every person in the eu and UK itself.

It's very politically difficult to express sympathy in cases like this.
For every person suggesting how the systems could have helped him avoid this situation, or treat the issues, there are 100 facebook groups ready to hang the pediatricians.
Which means that people with similar issues who genuinely could be helped don't step forward, because they know it'll be tar and feathers. So they spiral until they're far far worse, and eventually get caught.