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| Chris Huhne fights claim for £100,000 prosecution costs | Chris Huhne fights claim for £100,000 prosecution costs |
| (1 day later) | |
| The jailed former energy secretary Chris Huhne is fighting a claim for more than £100,000 prosecution costs as it emerged both he and his former wife could be released from prison in early May. | The jailed former energy secretary Chris Huhne is fighting a claim for more than £100,000 prosecution costs as it emerged both he and his former wife could be released from prison in early May. |
| The ex-MP has offered to pay just £25,000, a quarter of the amount it cost the taxpayer as he fought his speeding-points-swapping case before finally pleading guilty on the day of his trial. | The ex-MP has offered to pay just £25,000, a quarter of the amount it cost the taxpayer as he fought his speeding-points-swapping case before finally pleading guilty on the day of his trial. |
| Southwark crown court was told that he should not be responsible for the entirety of prosecution costs, as applications he made "resulted in documentation relating to Constance Briscoe coming to light, which led to allegations being made against her". | Southwark crown court was told that he should not be responsible for the entirety of prosecution costs, as applications he made "resulted in documentation relating to Constance Briscoe coming to light, which led to allegations being made against her". |
| Briscoe, 55, a part-time judge and barrister, has been arrested over allegations of lying in a police witness statement in relation to the points-swapping case, but has not been charged to date. | Briscoe, 55, a part-time judge and barrister, has been arrested over allegations of lying in a police witness statement in relation to the points-swapping case, but has not been charged to date. |
| Huhne, 58, the former Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh, was sentenced to eight months in March for perverting the course of justice by asking his then wife, Vicky Pryce, to take three speeding points for him a decade ago. | Huhne, 58, the former Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh, was sentenced to eight months in March for perverting the course of justice by asking his then wife, Vicky Pryce, to take three speeding points for him a decade ago. |
| Pryce, 60, a former senior economist, was also sentenced to eight months after being convicted of the same charge following a retrial. | Pryce, 60, a former senior economist, was also sentenced to eight months after being convicted of the same charge following a retrial. |
| Both will be eligible for release with a fitted electronic tag under the home detention curfew as early as 3 May, after completing a quarter of their sentences. | Both will be eligible for release with a fitted electronic tag under the home detention curfew as early as 3 May, after completing a quarter of their sentences. |
| Huhne sat in the glass dock as his lawyers fought an application for him to pay £108,539.85 costs to the public purse for his case, dressed in a navy blue suit with matching tie. His hair looked a little longer than usual and the unironed collar of his light blue shirt seemed slacker, indicating he had lost weight since his imprisonment. | Huhne sat in the glass dock as his lawyers fought an application for him to pay £108,539.85 costs to the public purse for his case, dressed in a navy blue suit with matching tie. His hair looked a little longer than usual and the unironed collar of his light blue shirt seemed slacker, indicating he had lost weight since his imprisonment. |
| Carina Trimingham, 46, the PR adviser for whom he left Pryce, a mother of five, ending their 26-year marriage, sat in a reserved seat in the well of the court. The two exchanged smiles. His father, Peter, was also in court. | Carina Trimingham, 46, the PR adviser for whom he left Pryce, a mother of five, ending their 26-year marriage, sat in a reserved seat in the well of the court. The two exchanged smiles. His father, Peter, was also in court. |
| The prosecutor Andrew Edis QC said the six-figure claim was "just and reasonable". | The prosecutor Andrew Edis QC said the six-figure claim was "just and reasonable". |
| He added: "All this occurred because Mr Huhne decided to do everything he could to try and get away with what he had done and gave in only at the last minute when defeat was inevitable." | He added: "All this occurred because Mr Huhne decided to do everything he could to try and get away with what he had done and gave in only at the last minute when defeat was inevitable." |
| It was a serious misconduct, said Edis. Huhne's application to dismiss the case against him as abuse of process was one "he ran vigorously until the last, that cost the public purse, and was based on a lie". | It was a serious misconduct, said Edis. Huhne's application to dismiss the case against him as abuse of process was one "he ran vigorously until the last, that cost the public purse, and was based on a lie". |
| The crown was also seeking reimbursement from Pryce, who was not present in court, of £48,695.56 prosecution costs. | The crown was also seeking reimbursement from Pryce, who was not present in court, of £48,695.56 prosecution costs. |
| Outside court Trimingham said of Huhne, who is in Leyhill open prison in Gloucestershire: "He's doing very well." She said he was working a lot and reading books. | Outside court Trimingham said of Huhne, who is in Leyhill open prison in Gloucestershire: "He's doing very well." She said he was working a lot and reading books. |