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| Vicky Pryce trial: judge arrested on suspicion of lying to police | Vicky Pryce trial: judge arrested on suspicion of lying to police |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A barrister and judge was arrested on suspicion of lying to police over the speeding allegations story involving the ex-cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his former wife, Vicky Pryce, a court has heard. | A barrister and judge was arrested on suspicion of lying to police over the speeding allegations story involving the ex-cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his former wife, Vicky Pryce, a court has heard. |
| Constance Briscoe, 55, a lawyer and part-time crown court recorder, had denied to police having any involvement with the Mail on Sunday over the leaking of the driving licence points-swapping story, the jury was told. | |
| But the court heard that Pryce and her friend Briscoe were in contact with the newspaper when allegations that Pryce took Huhne's speeding points first became public in 2011. | But the court heard that Pryce and her friend Briscoe were in contact with the newspaper when allegations that Pryce took Huhne's speeding points first became public in 2011. |
| As a result of that contact, the jury was told, the Crown Prosecution Service had decided against calling Briscoe as a witness to give evidence in the case. | As a result of that contact, the jury was told, the Crown Prosecution Service had decided against calling Briscoe as a witness to give evidence in the case. |
| Pryce, 60, an economist, has denied perverting the course of justice by taking Huhne's speeding points in 2003. She is claiming a defence of marital coercion. Huhne, a former energy secretary, pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial, on 4 February, and resigned as the Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh, in Hampshire. | Pryce, 60, an economist, has denied perverting the course of justice by taking Huhne's speeding points in 2003. She is claiming a defence of marital coercion. Huhne, a former energy secretary, pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial, on 4 February, and resigned as the Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh, in Hampshire. |
| The jury was read a statement by Detective Inspector Martin Passmore explaining why Briscoe was not being called as a witness in the trial of Pryce. | The jury was read a statement by Detective Inspector Martin Passmore explaining why Briscoe was not being called as a witness in the trial of Pryce. |
| It read: "Constance Briscoe provided a statement to police in this case but during the investigation it became apparent she may have lied about her involvement with the press in that she denied having any contact with the Mail on Sunday or any other media organisation in relation to this story. | It read: "Constance Briscoe provided a statement to police in this case but during the investigation it became apparent she may have lied about her involvement with the press in that she denied having any contact with the Mail on Sunday or any other media organisation in relation to this story. |
| "Miss Pryce has not been arrested or interviewed in relation to that allegation. | "Miss Pryce has not been arrested or interviewed in relation to that allegation. |
| "For this reason Miss Briscoe has been arrested and is currently under investigation by the police. Miss Briscoe could therefore no longer be relied upon as a witness of truth and on October 2 2012 the CPS took the decision not to call Miss Briscoe to give evidence in this case." | "For this reason Miss Briscoe has been arrested and is currently under investigation by the police. Miss Briscoe could therefore no longer be relied upon as a witness of truth and on October 2 2012 the CPS took the decision not to call Miss Briscoe to give evidence in this case." |
| Pryce's retrial began on Monday after a jury last week was discharged after failing to reach a verdict. | Pryce's retrial began on Monday after a jury last week was discharged after failing to reach a verdict. |
| Jurors were told they would be hearing evidence neither from the freelance journalist Andrew Alderson, who took the speeding points allegations to the Mail or Sunday, nor from the newspaper's news editor, David Dillon, as they had declined to provide witness statements, and could not be compelled to give evidence. | |
| Andrew Edis QC, prosecuting Pryce, has told the jury Briscoe was a neighbour of Pryce's. . | Andrew Edis QC, prosecuting Pryce, has told the jury Briscoe was a neighbour of Pryce's. . |
| "They started it together by approaching a man called Andrew Alderson." | "They started it together by approaching a man called Andrew Alderson." |
| Alderson was a freelance journalist who was working for the Mail on Sunday, the jury was told. | Alderson was a freelance journalist who was working for the Mail on Sunday, the jury was told. |
| Edis said: "The story they were giving to them is that it was Jo White – she was working for Huhne in Eastleigh in those days … The story they were giving to the newspapers was that Jo White took points for Huhne when he was on nine points. That was a complete lie because the person who took the points when Huhne was on nine points was her [Pryce]." | Edis said: "The story they were giving to them is that it was Jo White – she was working for Huhne in Eastleigh in those days … The story they were giving to the newspapers was that Jo White took points for Huhne when he was on nine points. That was a complete lie because the person who took the points when Huhne was on nine points was her [Pryce]." |