Huhne charged: CPS statement in full (From Daily Echo)

Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer's statement on Chris Huhne

10:37am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Eastleigh

The CPS announcement to charge Chris Huhne was made in a televised statement by Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer QC.

Mr Starmer said a criminal complaint was made to Essex Police in May 2011, alleging Ms Pryce had accepted responsibility for a speeding offence committed by Mr Huhne in 2003.

''That complaint was investigated by Essex Police and a file was passed to the CPS in late July 2011. The CPS advised that further investigations should be made, including obtaining certain material from a national newspaper,'' he said.

''Those further investigations were made and, in October 2011, an order was made for the newspaper to produce material to the police. The newspaper appealed that order, as it was entitled to do, but subsequently consented to producing the material in question just before the appeal was due to be heard, on 20 January this year.

''All the available evidence, including the new material, has now been carefully considered by the CPS and we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against Mr Huhne and Ms Pryce for perverting the course of justice.

''The essence of the charges is that between March and May 2003, Mr Huhne, having allegedly committed a speeding offence, falsely informed the investigating authorities that Ms Pryce had been the driver of the vehicle in question, and she falsely accepted that she was the driver.

''Accordingly, summonses against both Mr Huhne and Ms Pryce have been obtained from Westminster Magistrates' Court and those summonses will now be served on them. They are due to appear in court on 16 February this year.''

The maximum sentence for perverting the course of justice is life in prison, the CPS and the Sentencing Council said.

There is no specific guideline for judges and sentences are based on previous case law.