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| Vicky Pryce jury given majority direction in points case | Vicky Pryce jury given majority direction in points case |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The judge in the trial of ex-minister Chris Huhne's former wife Vicky Pryce has told the jury he will accept a majority verdict. | The judge in the trial of ex-minister Chris Huhne's former wife Vicky Pryce has told the jury he will accept a majority verdict. |
| Ms Pryce, 60, of Clapham, south London, is accused of perverting the course of justice by taking the former energy secretary's speeding points in 2003. | |
| She has denied the charge, saying he coerced her into taking the points. | She has denied the charge, saying he coerced her into taking the points. |
| Huhne, 58, has admitted the same charge and resigned as Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh, in Hampshire. | Huhne, 58, has admitted the same charge and resigned as Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh, in Hampshire. |
| The jury at Southwark Crown Court had been deliberating for 14 hours and 48 minutes, over several days, when Mr Justice Sweeney told them he would accept a verdict on which at least 10 of them were agreed. | |
| Huhne and Ms Pryce, an economist, were charged over an incident in March 2003 when his car was caught by a speed camera on the M11 between Stansted Airport, in Essex, and London. | |
| It is alleged that between 12 March and 21 May 2003, Ms Pryce falsely informed police that she had been the driver of the car so Huhne could avoid a driving ban. | |
| 'Critical issue' | |
| The judge is now answering questions posed by the jury. He started by asking them to pause and remind themselves "of the basics". | |
| Mr Justice Sweeney said whether Ms Pryce was the victim of marital coercion was the "critical issue". | |
| He told the jurors if any one of them was unable to follow his directions, they were not able to reach a true verdict. | |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani tweeted that the judge told the jury: "Drawing of inferences is permissible. Speculation is not. You need to be sure your inference/common sense conclusion is correct." | |
| Among the questions the jury asked the judge was whether "a juror could reach a verdict based on a reason not presented in court that has no facts or evidence to support it". | |
| Mr Justice Sweeney told them they could not and cautioned them against speculation. | |
| Huhne, who could face a prison sentence, is due to be sentenced after his ex-wife's trial. | Huhne, who could face a prison sentence, is due to be sentenced after his ex-wife's trial. |
| A by-election is being held in Eastleigh on 28 February to find a replacement for Huhne. | A by-election is being held in Eastleigh on 28 February to find a replacement for Huhne. |