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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce to be sentenced | Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce to be sentenced |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Former cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce are due to be sentenced for perverting the course of justice. | Former cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce are due to be sentenced for perverting the course of justice. |
| They were both convicted after she took driving licence points for him after he was caught speeding on the M11 in 2003. | |
| Huhne resigned as the Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh in Hampshire after admitting the charge. | Huhne resigned as the Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh in Hampshire after admitting the charge. |
| Pryce, who had claimed the defence of marital coercion, was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court last week. | Pryce, who had claimed the defence of marital coercion, was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court last week. |
| Edis: #huhne denied always having any memory of this speeding offence. His failure to be honest about memory supports prosecution case. | |
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| Huhne and Pryce have both arrived at the court ahead of the sentencing hearing. | |
| 'Inevitable consequences' | 'Inevitable consequences' |
| The Pryce verdict, after 12 hours of deliberations, came in a retrial. | The Pryce verdict, after 12 hours of deliberations, came in a retrial. |
| The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, warned the pair faced jail and the Crown Prosecution Service said it would try to recover costs. | The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, warned the pair faced jail and the Crown Prosecution Service said it would try to recover costs. |
| The judge said: "Obviously Ms Pryce was present when I indicated to Mr Huhne the inevitable consequences of a conviction for an offence of this sort." | The judge said: "Obviously Ms Pryce was present when I indicated to Mr Huhne the inevitable consequences of a conviction for an offence of this sort." |
| Speaking outside court, Pryce's solicitor Robert Brown said his client would not be making any comment until after sentencing took place. | Speaking outside court, Pryce's solicitor Robert Brown said his client would not be making any comment until after sentencing took place. |
| The CPS is understood to have run up about £100,000 in costs after Huhne attempted to have the prosecution against him thrown out before the trial began. | The CPS is understood to have run up about £100,000 in costs after Huhne attempted to have the prosecution against him thrown out before the trial began. |
| Perverting the course of justice can be committed in many different ways: Concealing or destroying evidence, intimidating witnesses or, as in this case, lying to the police. | |
| It is a common law offence - one created by judges and not by Parliament. It carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Although that is something of a historical hangover, it remains a very serious offence as it strikes at the heart of the criminal justice system. | |
| In the most extreme cases, for instance witness intimidation, sentences of up to 12 years have been handed down. Cases involving lying to avoid penalty points are regarded far less seriously, and jail sentences tend to be around six months. | |
| That was the term given in a 2008 case to a man who falsely claimed that he had been driving a car involved in a crash, when his son had been driving. In 2011 a lorry driver received four months for asking a friend to take his points for speeding so he could avoid disqualification. | |
| CPS lawyer Malcolm McHaffie said: "Chris Huhne made sustained challenges against the prosecution before pleading guilty at the last minute. This was expensive for the CPS and we will be applying for costs." | CPS lawyer Malcolm McHaffie said: "Chris Huhne made sustained challenges against the prosecution before pleading guilty at the last minute. This was expensive for the CPS and we will be applying for costs." |
| Huhne and Pryce were charged last year over an incident in March 2003 when Huhne's BMW car was caught by a speed camera on the M11 between Stansted Airport in Essex and London. He was an MEP at the time. | Huhne and Pryce were charged last year over an incident in March 2003 when Huhne's BMW car was caught by a speed camera on the M11 between Stansted Airport in Essex and London. He was an MEP at the time. |
| It was alleged that between 12 March and 21 May 2003, Pryce, a prominent economist, had falsely informed police she had been the driver of the car, so Huhne would avoid prosecution. | It was alleged that between 12 March and 21 May 2003, Pryce, a prominent economist, had falsely informed police she had been the driver of the car, so Huhne would avoid prosecution. |
| He was in danger of losing his licence having already accrued nine penalty points. | He was in danger of losing his licence having already accrued nine penalty points. |
| The prosecution alleged that Pryce, from Clapham in south London, had chosen to take the points but later plotted to expose Huhne after he revealed he was having an affair with an aide and ended the couple's 26-year marriage. | The prosecution alleged that Pryce, from Clapham in south London, had chosen to take the points but later plotted to expose Huhne after he revealed he was having an affair with an aide and ended the couple's 26-year marriage. |
| The court was told Pryce later told Sunday Times journalist Isabel Oakeshott what the couple had done and was persuaded that a carefully written story could expose the politician. | The court was told Pryce later told Sunday Times journalist Isabel Oakeshott what the couple had done and was persuaded that a carefully written story could expose the politician. |
| The Eastleigh by-election caused by Huhne's resignation was won by Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Thornton with a reduced share of the vote, ahead of the UK Independence Party in second, on 28 February. | The Eastleigh by-election caused by Huhne's resignation was won by Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Thornton with a reduced share of the vote, ahead of the UK Independence Party in second, on 28 February. |