Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce jailed - live

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Latest

  • Huhne and Pryce sentenced to eight months each
  • Both will serve no more than half of that
  • Huhne admitted perverting the course of justice
  • Pryce claimed she had been coerced into doing so by her ex-husband
  • She was found guilty following a retrial last week

6:01pm

Huhne says 'sorry':

5:45pm

 
Patrick Wintour, political reporter with The Guardian, went to school with Chris Huhne.

5:32pm

5:30pm

Read the judges full comments as he sent the pair to prison:

5:17pm

Huhne's partner Carina Trimingham leaves the court room with her head lowered.

High drama as Eastleigh's MP begins his jail term for perverting the course of justice.

5:10pm

Huhne and Pryce are led down with Pryce nodding and smiling to the judge as she leaves. Huhne picked up his bag and coat and left without showing emotion.

His partner, Carina Trimingham, is in tears in the public gallery.

5:06pm

Neither has shown great emotion since the sentences were handed out as talks over costs are discussed.

5:05pm

Pryce jailed for eight months, and will also serve half.

5:03pm

He sits and Pryce stands.

"Huhne the more culpable" judge says. "You too have fallen from a considerable height"

5:01pm

Huhne sentenced to eight months and will serve half.

5:00pm

Huhne stands: the offence was "your idea" judge says.

"You have fallen from a great height".

4:57pm

"Any element of tragedy is entirely your own fault," he tells pair.

4:55pm

Huhne will receive 10 per cent discount on sentence. Judge says it is "easy" to say sorry now.

4:54pm

He then compounded those lies by trying to have case thrown out, judge says.

4:53pm

Huhne tried to "lie his way out of trouble" says the judge.

4:52pm

Tells Pryce that Huhne's affair and marriage break down must have been "horrendous".

She then set about on an "implacable desire for revenge" to "ruin" her ex-husband.

4:49pm

"No doubt you thought you would get away with it," he said.

And they did for eight years, the judge says, with Huhne later becoming MP and cabinet member - supported by Pryce.

4:47pm

Mr Justice Sweeney: the pair "acted together" to pervert the course of justice.

4:45pm

Here's the judge. He's going back over the case.

4:39pm

Silence in court 3 and a real sense of nervous tension as the judge continues to consider the sentences.

4:36pm

Lawyers are gathering again in court three and both Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce have taken their seats in the dock.

Huhne and Pryce both seated. Pryce fiddling with pen while Huhne is staring straight ahead with his leg crossed.

4:01pm

Huhne and Pryce have left the dock and the judge will retire to consider his sentence. He won't sit until 4.30pm at the earliest.

We have heard some heartfelt submissions from the legal teams involved at the end of what has been a dramatic case from start to finish.

3:57pm

Costs issue looks set to be adjourned so both parties can "thrash out" their dispute.

3:54pm

"Nobody has ever lost more so publicly and with such vilification for an offence of perverting the course of justice by points swapping," the barrister says.

3:51pm

Kelsey-Fry says Huhne has kept a "dignified silence about what has been said about him" during Pryce trial and retrial.

Adds that his offence was "wholly at odds" with Huhne's character.

3:50pm

3:48pm

"He has a reputation for being an extremely able and hard working MP," Mr Luffman writes.

3:46pm

Describes him as "such a good constituency MP".

Writes that Huhne once spent 50 hours sorting out a constituent's problem and "refused to give up" until it was resolved - despite being busy with national issues.

3:43pm

Mr Luffman says Huhne is a man "without airs and graces".

3:41pm

"We are losing a true champion of the people," Mr Luffman writes.

3:41pm

Extraordinary letter being read out from Eastleigh Labour stalwart Brian Luffman in support of Huhne.

3:41pm

John O'Farrell, the Labour candidate in the Eastleigh by-election caused by Huhne's resignation, has just tweeted this:
 
 
He is referring to Pryce's decision to contact the Sunday Times regarding Huhne's speeding points, following the break-up of their marriage.

3:38pm

Huhne has during the weeks of Pryce's trials woken up thinking he was going to jail.

He is a man "laid bare" but hoping for reconciliation with members of his family.

Also refutes "in the most strenuous terms" claims he put pressure on his wife over unplanned pregnancy.

3:31pm

Mr Kelsey-Fry says his client eventually "fell on his sword" in pleading guilty.

3:27pm

Kelsey-Fry QC on Huhne's initial denial of offence:

"For this denial he wishes to apologise to his friends and former colleagues, to his former constituents and most importantly to the court."

Says he cherished his role as Eastleigh MP and has undergone "vilification" in the media.

3:22pm

Huhne's barrister John Kelsey-Fry QC says the former MP has "in truth only himself to blame" and accepts that it was his fault.

But denies he coerced her to take speeding points.

3:20pm

He asks the judge to keep any custodial sentence for Pryce as short as possible if he is minded to impose one.

3:19pm

Adds that she found elements of pre-trial legal arguments "extremely unpleasant".

Knowles tells of client's concern on learning she might receive "forensic annihilation" in the witness box during proceedings.

3:16pm

"The pressure and stress to which she has been subjected far exceeds the normal level," he tells court.

3:13pm

Knowles says Pryce committed the offence "under pressure applied by Mr Huhne".

3:10pm

Mr Knowles QC asks judge to consider that Pryce's offence was at the "lower end of the scale".

3:09pm

Mr Knowles QC says his client's health has suffered during trial while one family member has also undergone a "traumatic operation" during proceedings.

3:07pm

Her reputation has been "spoiled" Julian Knowles QC says.

3:07pm

Pryce has undergone "suffering and distress" in recent times.

She became a "figure of mockery and ridicule", Mr Knowles tells court.

3:04pm

He points to her public service and charity work over the years including role with 'Good Corporation'.

Pryce resigned from her job at a consulting firm after her conviction last week.

3:02pm

Pryce's barrister urges Mr Justice Sweeney to show "Leniency" and hand out suspended jail sentence.

Says there are "special and unique" features of her case and that she resigned from her consultancy job after conviction last week.

2:59pm

Both Huhne and Pryce listening intently and seem calm at present.

No previous convictions - except Huhne's driving offences, Mr Edis says.

2:52pm

However, there are disputes between crown and defence over costs, Mr Edis tells court.

2:47pm

Police investigation costs claim against Huhne will be £31,000, the court hears.

2:46pm

Cost for Huhne was £79,015, Pryce's £38,544, says Andrew Edis QC.

2:45pm

Cost to crown of prosecuting Huhne and Pryce: £117,558

2:40pm

Edis reminds court of dramatic day when Huhne pleaded guilty, resigning as MP for Eastleigh.

2:34pm

If you'd like to know more about the seldom-used marital coercion defence that Vicky Pryce used during her trial, you can do so in the article below:

2:30pm

Here is a timeline of the events which have led to Huhne and Pryce facing a possible jail sentence today:

2:20pm

It has taken ten minutes for everyone to be seated. The seats which are usually reserved for the jury are filled with reporters, such is the huge amount of interest in the sentencing.

2:18pm

Court reminded of text conversation between Huhne and his son Peter.

2:15pm

The court is played a taped conversation between Huhne and Pryce which was carried out in a bid to get the former energy secretary to admit to the speeding points swap.

2:10pm

Huhne listening in with legs crossed. Pryce taking notes as details of their crime are explained to the court.

2:06pm

Edis recounting how Huhne's black BMW was pictured by speed camera on M11 2003 travelling over 50mph speed limit.

2:06pm

Chris Huhne arrives for sentencing

Vicky Pryce arrives for sentencing

The scenes as Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce arrived for sentencing.

2:03pm

The hearing begins.

The pair stand to confirm their names and Andrew Edis QC is outlining the case.

2:00pm

And now he arrives. The pair do not exchange eye contact or any words. They sit one seat apart.

Huhne wearing dark suit and white shirt. Court room silent.

1:59pm

Huhne's legal team, including his barrister John Kelsey-Fry, has arrived at court three.

Vicky Pryce is in the dock wearing a dark suit and grey scarf. Huhne yet to arrive.

1:45pm

Crown prosecutor Andrew Edis QC has fought his way through the queue outside to enter court three.

1:26pm

Vicky Pryce's lawyer Julian Knowles QC arrived at the court on his own in a London black cab around half an hour ago.

Sentencing is due to get underway at 2pm but 50 members of press and public already waiting to be let into court three.

1:25pm

There is already a huge media presence outside awaiting the arrival of the former Eastleigh MP and his former wife.

Inside Southwark Crown Court, a queue is already forming outside court three.

1:01pm

Julian Robinson reports:

It was a court case that started a year ago, has involved two trials, prompted the resignation of a Hampshire MP and sparked the most fiercely contested by-election in recent times.

But today, amid Arctic conditions in central London, the bitter feud involving Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce finally comes to its conclusion.

In an hour's time, the pair will stand together in the dock and face sentencing for perverting the course of justice.

The pair are expected to face jail.

12:48pm

The Daily Echo's Julian Robinson is at court and will be providing live updates direct from the hearing when it begins.

12:39pm

The sentencing is due to start at 2pm.

12:39pm

Once Mr Justice Sweeney has handed down the sentences to Huhne and Pryce, we will open the blog up to comments from readers.

12:33pm

12:30pm

A sentence of 12 months of more would have the effect of prohibiting Huhne of taking a seat in parliament for the duration of the sentence.

However, since as he resigned his seat the day after admitting perverting the course of justice, this restriction is irrelevant.

12:26pm

The offence of perverting the course of justice carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with an average sentence of around 10 months.

12:22pm

After an initial trial which ended with the jury being sent home after being unable to come to any sort of verdict, Pryce was last week found guilty of perverting the course of justice during the retrial at Southwark Crown Court.

12:21pm

Pryce admitted taking the points on behalf of Huhne, but used an old defence of marital coercion, saying that the Liberal Democrat had forced his then wife to take the points to avoid him losing his driving licence.

12:19pm

The pair had been due to stand trial together, after Huhne had been accused of making Pryce take some points on her driving licence for a speeding offence in 2003, but after years of protesting his innocence, Huhne suddenly changed his plea at the start of the trial, admitting the offence.

He then resigned his seat in parliament as representative of Eastleigh, sparking last month's by-election.

12:18pm

Good afternoon and welcome to the Daily Echo's live blog covering the sentencing of former Eastleigh MP, Chris Huhne, and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce, for perverting the course of justice.

Comments(4)

kev63 says...
5:08pm Mon 11 Mar 13

Serves them both right

ohec says...
5:12pm Mon 11 Mar 13

They say revenge is sweet but i am not so sure she would agree now, if only we could lock up all the lying toads in the commons, trouble is it wouldn't leave many.

CharlieOxbridge says...
5:24pm Mon 11 Mar 13

What a sad story.
.
It's a message to be sent out to adults that no matter how important and intelligent you are, you are still capable of doing stupid things.
.
It has torn a family apart and I feel for the children.
.
I suppose for some people this is the modern day version of a public beheading that you would have seen in the days of Henry VIII and everybody has enjoyed watching the spilling of blood.
.
I do hope that they can both get their lifes back on track, these are after all two incredibly gifted people and hope that their family can find some peace and closure.

ottred says...
5:36pm Mon 11 Mar 13

They should be clearing litter for 8 months, not taking up cell space which really should be kept for people who are a threat to society.

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