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New Vicky Pryce trial jury told to begin with clean slate New Vicky Pryce trial jury told to begin with clean slate
(about 1 month later)
The retrial of Vicky Pryce, the former wife of the disgraced cabinet minister Chris Huhne, has begun, with the new jury being warned to ignore anything they already knew about the case.The retrial of Vicky Pryce, the former wife of the disgraced cabinet minister Chris Huhne, has begun, with the new jury being warned to ignore anything they already knew about the case.
The panel of seven men and five women was sworn in at Southwark crown court in London after the first trial ended last week when that jury was discharged when it failed to reach a verdict.The panel of seven men and five women was sworn in at Southwark crown court in London after the first trial ended last week when that jury was discharged when it failed to reach a verdict.
The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, told the new jury: "Both sides, the prosecution and the defence, have asked me to deal with the continuing publicity as to the first trial in this case which ended last week in which the jury was unable to reach a verdict.The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, told the new jury: "Both sides, the prosecution and the defence, have asked me to deal with the continuing publicity as to the first trial in this case which ended last week in which the jury was unable to reach a verdict.
"That happens sometimes. It's of no relevance whatsoever in this trial at all. In this trial the slate, as it were, is wiped clean and you judge the case afresh based only on the evidence which unfolds before you during the course of the trial. The other jury's disagreement is entirely irrelevant in this case.""That happens sometimes. It's of no relevance whatsoever in this trial at all. In this trial the slate, as it were, is wiped clean and you judge the case afresh based only on the evidence which unfolds before you during the course of the trial. The other jury's disagreement is entirely irrelevant in this case."
Pryce, 60, an economist, has pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice by taking three speeding points for Huhne, 58, then an MEP, after he was clocked speeding on the M11 a decade ago. Her defence is one of marital coercion. Huhne pleaded guilty at the opening of his trial on 4 February and is awaiting sentence.Pryce, 60, an economist, has pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice by taking three speeding points for Huhne, 58, then an MEP, after he was clocked speeding on the M11 a decade ago. Her defence is one of marital coercion. Huhne pleaded guilty at the opening of his trial on 4 February and is awaiting sentence.
Opening the case, the prosecutor Andrew Edis QC told the jury: "It would be foolish to pretend that you are all entirely ignorant about the circumstances of this case. There is no such pretence."Opening the case, the prosecutor Andrew Edis QC told the jury: "It would be foolish to pretend that you are all entirely ignorant about the circumstances of this case. There is no such pretence."
He said the judge and counsel urged them "to pay no heed at all to anything that you know about it up until now. It starts now. What matters is what happens from now."He said the judge and counsel urged them "to pay no heed at all to anything that you know about it up until now. It starts now. What matters is what happens from now."
He said the defence of marital coercion could fail if the prosecution could prove "that wasn't the only reason" Pryce took the points, or could prove that Pryce "knew she had a choice whatever he was saying to her, but she chose to do what she did".He said the defence of marital coercion could fail if the prosecution could prove "that wasn't the only reason" Pryce took the points, or could prove that Pryce "knew she had a choice whatever he was saying to her, but she chose to do what she did".
He added: "It's not enough if she is pressured against her better judgment to choose to try to help his career by taking his points." The case "is all about her, who she is and why she did what she did".He added: "It's not enough if she is pressured against her better judgment to choose to try to help his career by taking his points." The case "is all about her, who she is and why she did what she did".
"She was not married to a lorry driver with five kids who would go hungry if he lost his job," Edis said. Her then husband was a "rich man" and she had a "glittering career" as an economist."She was not married to a lorry driver with five kids who would go hungry if he lost his job," Edis said. Her then husband was a "rich man" and she had a "glittering career" as an economist.
At the time of the offence, Pryce was chief economist at the Department for Trade and Industry, "the first woman to be appointed to a position like that".At the time of the offence, Pryce was chief economist at the Department for Trade and Industry, "the first woman to be appointed to a position like that".
"Women such as her have proudly led the struggle for equality with men for decades. They have won an equal right to choose what they do. And here she is saying she was unable to choose whether to commit or not to commit a crime because a man, whether her husband or not, was telling her what to do.""Women such as her have proudly led the struggle for equality with men for decades. They have won an equal right to choose what they do. And here she is saying she was unable to choose whether to commit or not to commit a crime because a man, whether her husband or not, was telling her what to do."
He said Pryce "played quite an important part in running the country but she says she was unable to resist the persuasion by her husband".He said Pryce "played quite an important part in running the country but she says she was unable to resist the persuasion by her husband".
He told the jury: "Never lose sight of her." He described Pryce as a "strong-minded and strong-willed person" who had gone to the newspapers about the speeding allegations after Huhne left her in 2010 for another woman.He told the jury: "Never lose sight of her." He described Pryce as a "strong-minded and strong-willed person" who had gone to the newspapers about the speeding allegations after Huhne left her in 2010 for another woman.
She "lit the blue touchpaper" when she told the Sunday Times about taking Huhne's points, he said.She "lit the blue touchpaper" when she told the Sunday Times about taking Huhne's points, he said.
No doubt Pryce was "distressed, perhaps even heartbroken" after the marriage ended. "It also caused her great anger and in the end led her to want to get revenge. That's why you are all here, that's why she is here, because she wanted revenge."No doubt Pryce was "distressed, perhaps even heartbroken" after the marriage ended. "It also caused her great anger and in the end led her to want to get revenge. That's why you are all here, that's why she is here, because she wanted revenge."
"There is absolutely no doubt that about six months after that she hatched quite a sophisticated plot to destroy his [Huhne's] career while at the same time, in quite a sophisticated way, trying to save hers.""There is absolutely no doubt that about six months after that she hatched quite a sophisticated plot to destroy his [Huhne's] career while at the same time, in quite a sophisticated way, trying to save hers."
The case continues.The case continues.
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