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| Vicky Pryce: I had no choice but to take Huhne points | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Chris Huhne's ex-wife Vicky Pryce has told a court she had "no choice" but to take his speeding points in 2003. | |
| Ms Pryce said when Huhne asked her to take the points she gave a "resounding no" but weeks later she received a letter addressed to her as the "nominated driver" and "exploded". | Ms Pryce said when Huhne asked her to take the points she gave a "resounding no" but weeks later she received a letter addressed to her as the "nominated driver" and "exploded". |
| She told Southwark Crown Court he told her: "You've got to sign this now." | |
| Ms Pryce denies perverting the course of justice. Huhne admitted the charge on Monday and has resigned as an MP. | |
| Ex-Liberal Democrat cabinet minister Huhne and Ms Pryce, an economist, were charged over an incident in March 2003 when his car was caught by a speed camera on the M11 motorway between Stansted Airport in Essex and London. | Ex-Liberal Democrat cabinet minister Huhne and Ms Pryce, an economist, were charged over an incident in March 2003 when his car was caught by a speed camera on the M11 motorway between Stansted Airport in Essex and London. |
| It is alleged that between 12 March and 21 May 2003, Ms Pryce falsely informed police that she was the driver of the car so Huhne could avoid prosecution. | It is alleged that between 12 March and 21 May 2003, Ms Pryce falsely informed police that she was the driver of the car so Huhne could avoid prosecution. |
| 'What's going on?' | |
| #huhne was later banned anyway for a driving offence on the Old Kent Road. | |
| 44 Minutes ago | |
| #huhne asked her to take points -- she refused -- 'a resounding no'. weeks of arguments followed | |
| 58 Minutes ago | |
| @majorgammyleg sorry didn't get an accurate note of that! | |
| 2 Hours ago | |
| Defence case will start after lunch #huhne | |
| 3 Hours ago | |
| Oakeshott: #huhne was a "ferociously intelligent and ferociously ambitious politican." | |
| 4 Hours ago | |
| Content from Twitter. Learn more about content from Twitter. | |
| Ms Pryce, giving evidence in court for the first time, told the court how Huhne "announced he had been caught speeding and he had already nine points on his licence and therefore couldn't afford to take any extra points". | |
| "If he took the extra points he would be disqualified from driving and that was of course at the time when he was seeking the nomination for Eastleigh [as MP]," said Ms Pryce. | |
| She told the jury her licence was clean but he was a "very fast driver" and had brought the situation upon himself. | |
| Ms Pryce said the couple rowed for weeks after she said no to taking the points. But then a letter arrived with her name as the nominated driver, she said. | |
| Ms Pryce said: "I exploded… and said 'what is going on?'" | |
| She said she told him: "I said I'm not signing anything." | |
| Later, Huhne called for her to come downstairs. "I went down… my husband was standing by the forms which I had just left and abandoned myself on the table," she said. | |
| She said he had a pen in his hand "and was saying you've absolutely got to sign this [speeding ticket form] now… it's ridiculous you're not signing it... just sign it here". | |
| She said her name had already been filled in and she had to just put signature. | |
| "I looked at this and realised that I had absolutely no choice, I was already nominated, it looked like this was the final form," Ms Pryce told the court. | |
| "I had been worn down over a period of time and it looked to me as if it was the only thing I could possibly do… it didn't look to me that I had any choice at all… so I took his pen and I signed." | |
| 'Hurt woman' | 'Hurt woman' |
| Earlier, Sunday Times political editor Isabel Oakeshott gave evidence. | Earlier, Sunday Times political editor Isabel Oakeshott gave evidence. |
| Ms Oakeshott said Ms Pryce had revealed to her in 2010 - after she had separated from Huhne - that she had taken his speeding points. | Ms Oakeshott said Ms Pryce had revealed to her in 2010 - after she had separated from Huhne - that she had taken his speeding points. |
| The journalist said they discussed how Huhne's secret could become a story for the Sunday Times. | The journalist said they discussed how Huhne's secret could become a story for the Sunday Times. |
| "Vicky was very much interested in telling her side of the story," Ms Oakeshott told the court. | "Vicky was very much interested in telling her side of the story," Ms Oakeshott told the court. |
| "Vicky was a very, very hurt woman and she was quite clear that she felt that Chris, her former husband, did not deserve to be in the position of immense responsibility he had at that time. | "Vicky was a very, very hurt woman and she was quite clear that she felt that Chris, her former husband, did not deserve to be in the position of immense responsibility he had at that time. |
| "I think it was very clear that she wanted to expose what she saw as his true character." | "I think it was very clear that she wanted to expose what she saw as his true character." |