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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Vicky Pryce: I had no choice but to take Huhne points | 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. | 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, 60, 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, 60, 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." | 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. | Ms Pryce denies perverting the course of justice. Huhne admitted the charge on Monday and has resigned as an MP. |
| Former 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. | Former 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?' | 'What's going on?' |
| Ms Pryce, giving evidence for the first time at her trial, 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". | Ms Pryce, giving evidence for the first time at her trial, 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 a time when he was seeking the nomination for Eastleigh [as MP]," said Ms Pryce. | "If he took the extra points he would be disqualified from driving and that was of course at a time when he was seeking the nomination for Eastleigh [as MP]," said Ms Pryce. |
| She went on: "I knew, of course, immediately that I had not driven the car and, of course, had not incurred the penalty. | She went on: "I knew, of course, immediately that I had not driven the car and, of course, had not incurred the penalty. |
| "But also I resisted. I had absolutely no wish to take on his points because I knew full well he was a very, very fast driver and very often ignored speed limits and had brought it on himself." | "But also I resisted. I had absolutely no wish to take on his points because I knew full well he was a very, very fast driver and very often ignored speed limits and had brought it on himself." |
| Ms Pryce said the couple rowed for weeks after she refused to take the points. But then a letter arrived with her named as the nominated driver, she said. | |
| Ms Pryce said: "I exploded… and said 'what is going on?' I said 'I am not doing this, I am not signing anything, these are not my points'." | Ms Pryce said: "I exploded… and said 'what is going on?' I said 'I am not doing this, I am not signing anything, these are not my points'." |
| After leaving the letter in their hallway, a few days later she said she was called downstairs. | After leaving the letter in their hallway, a few days later she said she was called downstairs. |
| "I went down… my husband was standing by the forms which I had just left and abandoned myself on the table," she said. | "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. If you don't, the implications will be considerable. It's ridiculous you're not signing it, just sign it here'". | She said he had a pen in his hand "and was saying 'You've absolutely got to sign this [speeding ticket form] now. If you don't, the implications will be considerable. It's ridiculous you're not signing it, just sign it here'". |
| Ms Pryce said her name had already been filled in and she just had to give a signature. | |
| She told the jury: "I looked at this and realised I had absolutely no choice. I was already nominated. It looked like a complete fait accompli for me and for him. | She told the jury: "I looked at this and realised I had absolutely no choice. I was already nominated. It looked like a complete fait accompli for me and for him. |
| "I had been worn down over a period of time and it looked to me like it was the only thing I could possibly do... so I took the pen and signed, protesting all the time, but I did it." | |
| 'Caught with mistress' | |
| Earlier, Ms Pryce recounted details of the couple's 26-year marriage, which ended in 2010 when Huhne told her he was having an affair with PR adviser Carina Trimingham. | |
| "He said, 'I have something to tell you. A newspaper has caught me with a mistress and I have to write a note to say that we are separating', or words to that effect," she told the court. | |
| "I was really shocked." | |
| Ms Pryce asked him how long it had been going on, to which he replied a year and a half. | |
| She said Huhne said he not planned to tell her until their youngest son had gone to university - 18 months later. | |
| He told her he had 20 minutes to write a statement, then left the house to go to the gym, she said. | |
| "At no time was there an apology or any concern about what it would mean for us," she said. | |
| "He ran out, with us [Pryce and her son] following behind, and said, 'And don't talk to the papers'. | |
| Greek-born Ms Pryce also told the court Huhne had pressured her into having an abortion in the 1990s because it was "bad timing". | |
| '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 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," Ms Oakeshott told the court. | |
| "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." |