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| Chris Huhne's ex-wife 'revealed speeding points swap to get revenge' | Chris Huhne's ex-wife 'revealed speeding points swap to get revenge' |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The ex-wife of former cabinet minister Chris Huhne took revenge after he left her for another woman by telling newspapers she had taken his speeding points, a court has been told. | The ex-wife of former cabinet minister Chris Huhne took revenge after he left her for another woman by telling newspapers she had taken his speeding points, a court has been told. |
| Vicky Pryce, 60, an economist, was "not only distressed but extremely angry and she wanted revenge", Andrew Edis QC, prosecuting, told a jury on Tuesday. | Vicky Pryce, 60, an economist, was "not only distressed but extremely angry and she wanted revenge", Andrew Edis QC, prosecuting, told a jury on Tuesday. |
| Pryce, of Clapham, south London, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of perverting the course of justice by taking three points Huhne received for speeding on the M11 in 2003 so he could avoid a driving ban. | Pryce, of Clapham, south London, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of perverting the course of justice by taking three points Huhne received for speeding on the M11 in 2003 so he could avoid a driving ban. |
| Huhne pleaded guilty to the charge on Monday, and awaits sentence. | Huhne pleaded guilty to the charge on Monday, and awaits sentence. |
| Opening the case, Edis said it was agreed Pryce had taken the points, but that she was claiming a defence of "marital coercion", that she was pressured into taking them. | Opening the case, Edis said it was agreed Pryce had taken the points, but that she was claiming a defence of "marital coercion", that she was pressured into taking them. |
| The allegations came to light when Pryce told the Sunday Times and the Mail on Sunday of the speeding incident in order to ruin his political career, the jury were told. | The allegations came to light when Pryce told the Sunday Times and the Mail on Sunday of the speeding incident in order to ruin his political career, the jury were told. |
| When Pryce told the newspapers, Huhne had been having a sexual relationship with another woman. "Mr Huhne told her that he didn't want to be with Ms Pryce any more. It was over," said Edis. | When Pryce told the newspapers, Huhne had been having a sexual relationship with another woman. "Mr Huhne told her that he didn't want to be with Ms Pryce any more. It was over," said Edis. |
| "That event would be the cause of immense distress to any wife," and Pryce "was distressed". | "That event would be the cause of immense distress to any wife," and Pryce "was distressed". |
| "There is also no doubt at all she was not only distressed but extremely angry and she wanted revenge." | "There is also no doubt at all she was not only distressed but extremely angry and she wanted revenge." |
| "Her revenge was to pass the story of the 2003 crime to the newspapers so that it would be published and it would destroy her husband's career." | "Her revenge was to pass the story of the 2003 crime to the newspapers so that it would be published and it would destroy her husband's career." |
| The jury was told of an exchange of emails dating from 1 March 2011 between her and the Sunday Times journalist Isabel Oakeshott suggesting a "major two-part" series by the economist, ghost written by Oakeshott, which would inflict "maximum and fatal damage on Chris". | The jury was told of an exchange of emails dating from 1 March 2011 between her and the Sunday Times journalist Isabel Oakeshott suggesting a "major two-part" series by the economist, ghost written by Oakeshott, which would inflict "maximum and fatal damage on Chris". |
| It would, wrote the journalist, serve Pryce's "dual objectives of bringing Chris down without seriously damaging your own reputation in the process". | It would, wrote the journalist, serve Pryce's "dual objectives of bringing Chris down without seriously damaging your own reputation in the process". |
| Pryce replied she would "need some reassurance that it would bring Chris down". | Pryce replied she would "need some reassurance that it would bring Chris down". |
| Pryce was worried about the risk of prosecution, but did say: "I have no doubt that I definitely want to nail him more than ever, actually and would love to do it soon." | Pryce was worried about the risk of prosecution, but did say: "I have no doubt that I definitely want to nail him more than ever, actually and would love to do it soon." |
| Oakeshott emailed Pryce that the legal risk of prosecution was "minor", adding: "I think you could make yourself out very much the honourable one, saying it's been on your conscience ever since, you knew it was wrong but you felt bullied into it." | Oakeshott emailed Pryce that the legal risk of prosecution was "minor", adding: "I think you could make yourself out very much the honourable one, saying it's been on your conscience ever since, you knew it was wrong but you felt bullied into it." |
| Was Pryce, Edis asked the jury "the bullied little woman deprived of choice" or was this in fact "a script and a fallback plan". | Was Pryce, Edis asked the jury "the bullied little woman deprived of choice" or was this in fact "a script and a fallback plan". |
| But, "things did not go smoothly", said the prosecutor. With Pryce not willing to put her name to the allegation, she and Oakeshott decided the former would record conversations with her ex-husband. | But, "things did not go smoothly", said the prosecutor. With Pryce not willing to put her name to the allegation, she and Oakeshott decided the former would record conversations with her ex-husband. |
| "The idea is she gets him on the phone and tried to get him to admit it. It is a set-up," said Edis. "But Mr Huhne did not fall for it." | "The idea is she gets him on the phone and tried to get him to admit it. It is a set-up," said Edis. "But Mr Huhne did not fall for it." |
| During the conversations Huhne "denied repeatedly that he had asked her to take the points and said it was all ridiculous". | During the conversations Huhne "denied repeatedly that he had asked her to take the points and said it was all ridiculous". |
| That "wasn't for the benefit of truth", said Edis, but rather "for the benefit of anybody listening to it. He's not going to rush into making admissions." "They were two manipulative people trying unsuccessfully to manipulate each other." | That "wasn't for the benefit of truth", said Edis, but rather "for the benefit of anybody listening to it. He's not going to rush into making admissions." "They were two manipulative people trying unsuccessfully to manipulate each other." |
| By then their marriage had come to a "horrible end" and "ties of loyalty no longer existed". | By then their marriage had come to a "horrible end" and "ties of loyalty no longer existed". |
| Edis said the defence of marital coercion was "a very special one", which said that if a wife committed an offence in the presence of her husband, she had a defence if she had been deprived of her own free choice by pressure exerted by her husband. | Edis said the defence of marital coercion was "a very special one", which said that if a wife committed an offence in the presence of her husband, she had a defence if she had been deprived of her own free choice by pressure exerted by her husband. |
| Edis told members of the jury they would have to consider to whether Pryce was the kind of person in her self control, and her ability to choose, who would be deprived of choice, or whether she is "a very strong-minded and manipulative woman" who is perfectly capable of doing what she wants. | Edis told members of the jury they would have to consider to whether Pryce was the kind of person in her self control, and her ability to choose, who would be deprived of choice, or whether she is "a very strong-minded and manipulative woman" who is perfectly capable of doing what she wants. |
| "She certainly is quite a subtle and clever person," said Edis "You are going to have to make a judgment about the kind of person she actually is." | "She certainly is quite a subtle and clever person," said Edis "You are going to have to make a judgment about the kind of person she actually is." |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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