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| Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce in court for sentencing | Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce in court for sentencing |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce are in court awaiting sentences for perverting the course of justice. | Former cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce are in court awaiting sentences for perverting the course of justice. |
| They were both convicted after she took driving licence points for him after he was caught speeding in 2003. | They were both convicted after she took driving licence points for him after he was caught speeding 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. |
| tomsymonds @tomsymonds | |
| Judge retires. He will not pass sentence before 4.30pm #huhne | |
| 32 Minutes ago | |
| Kelsey-fry running through #huhne character references and the law on sentencing. | Kelsey-fry running through #huhne character references and the law on sentencing. |
| 40 Minutes ago | |
| Again judge sides somewhat with #Huhne saying he is not taking the abortion claims into account when sentencing. | Again judge sides somewhat with #Huhne saying he is not taking the abortion claims into account when sentencing. |
| 52 Minutes ago | |
| JKF: there is a natural instinct against #huhne meekly handing his assailant what she and those assisting her have sought. | JKF: there is a natural instinct against #huhne meekly handing his assailant what she and those assisting her have sought. |
| 1 Hour ago | |
| Kelsey-Fry: He wishes to apologise to his friends and former colleagues to his former constituents and most importantly to the court. #huhne | Kelsey-Fry: He wishes to apologise to his friends and former colleagues to his former constituents and most importantly to the court. #huhne |
| 1 Hour ago | |
| Content from Twitter. Learn more about content from Twitter. | Content from Twitter. Learn more about content from Twitter. |
| Earlier, they were greeted by hordes of photographers and TV cameras as they arrived at court. | Earlier, they were greeted by hordes of photographers and TV cameras as they arrived at court. |
| Inside the courtroom the judge has been listening to mitigating arguments. | |
| Pryce's barrister argued that his client's offence was at the lower end of the scale. There was no real benefit to her in committing it and she did so under pressure from her then-husband. | |
| The offence was something Pryce would not have done but for the actions of Huhne seeking to pressurise her to take the points, her legal team argued. | |
| But John Kelsey-Fry, representing Huhne, said his client did not force Pryce nor coerce her nor bully her. | |
| Huhne arrived at Southwark Crown Court with partner Carina Trimingham, for whom he left Pryce in June 2010. | |
| The Crown Prosecution Service has said it would try to recover costs - which amounted to about £79,000 for prosecuting Huhne and £38,000 for Pryce. | The Crown Prosecution Service has said it would try to recover costs - which amounted to about £79,000 for prosecuting Huhne and £38,000 for Pryce. |
| Additional police costs of £31,000 were incurred due to attempts by Huhne to halt the proceedings. | Additional police costs of £31,000 were incurred due to attempts by Huhne to halt the proceedings. |
| '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 at her trial, Mr Justice Sweeney, warned the pair faced jail. | The judge at her trial, Mr Justice Sweeney, warned the pair faced jail. |
| He said: "Obviously Ms Pryce was present when I indicated to Mr Huhne the inevitable consequences of a conviction for an offence of this sort." | He said: "Obviously Ms Pryce was present when I indicated to Mr Huhne the inevitable consequences of a conviction for an offence of this sort." |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 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 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 publication of the 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 publication of the 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. | The Eastleigh by-election caused by Huhne's resignation was won by Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Thornton with a reduced share of the vote. |