Ex-wife of former British minister on trial over lie
Source: AFP |
February 6, 2013, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE ex-wife of former British minister Chris Huhne went on trial yesterday accused of taking speeding points for him, a day after Huhne was warned he faced jail over the incident.
Vicky Pryce, a Greek-born economist, denies a charge of perverting the course of justice, claiming she was coerced into taking the penalty points from her then-husband in March 2003.
Huhne, the former minister for energy and climate change, had been due to stand trial on the same charge alongside his ex-wife but on Monday changed his plea from not guilty to guilty.
The ambitious Liberal Democrat politician, who quit Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron's coalition cabinet last year vowing to clear his name, still awaits sentencing, with a jail term likely.
Huhne's car was allegedly caught by a speed camera as he traveled between Stansted Airport near London and the capital.
The prosecution alleges that Pryce, 60, falsely informed police that she was driving the car at the time of the speeding offense so Huhne could avoid losing his driving licence.
Opening the trial, prosecutor Andrew Edis said Pryce had revealed details about the points-swapping in 2010 and 2011 when she found out her husband was having an affair.
The jury was told of an email exchange between a Sunday Times journalist and Pryce in which they discussed how to publicize the points affair.
Pryce wrote that "I really want to nail him" and the journalist assured her that the revelation would bring Huhne down.
However, she warned of a risk to Pryce of criminal proceedings over her own role.
Vicky Pryce, a Greek-born economist, denies a charge of perverting the course of justice, claiming she was coerced into taking the penalty points from her then-husband in March 2003.
Huhne, the former minister for energy and climate change, had been due to stand trial on the same charge alongside his ex-wife but on Monday changed his plea from not guilty to guilty.
The ambitious Liberal Democrat politician, who quit Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron's coalition cabinet last year vowing to clear his name, still awaits sentencing, with a jail term likely.
Huhne's car was allegedly caught by a speed camera as he traveled between Stansted Airport near London and the capital.
The prosecution alleges that Pryce, 60, falsely informed police that she was driving the car at the time of the speeding offense so Huhne could avoid losing his driving licence.
Opening the trial, prosecutor Andrew Edis said Pryce had revealed details about the points-swapping in 2010 and 2011 when she found out her husband was having an affair.
The jury was told of an email exchange between a Sunday Times journalist and Pryce in which they discussed how to publicize the points affair.
Pryce wrote that "I really want to nail him" and the journalist assured her that the revelation would bring Huhne down.
However, she warned of a risk to Pryce of criminal proceedings over her own role.
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