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| Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce to be sentenced | Chris Huhne and Vicky Pryce to be sentenced |
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| The disgraced former cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife, Vicki Pryce, face the prospect of jail on Monday when they are sentenced for perverting the course of justice. | The disgraced former cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife, Vicki Pryce, face the prospect of jail on Monday when they are sentenced for perverting the course of justice. |
| The pair are due to hear their fate at Southwark crown court at 2pm and have been warned by Mr Justice Sweeney to be under no illusions as to their likely punishment. | The pair are due to hear their fate at Southwark crown court at 2pm and have been warned by Mr Justice Sweeney to be under no illusions as to their likely punishment. |
| Last week, a jury rejected Pryce's defence of "marital coercion" and unanimously found her guilty of taking her former husband's speeding points 10 years ago. The former Liberal Democrat energy secretary admitted the charge on the first day of a planned joint trial in February, after months of denial. | Last week, a jury rejected Pryce's defence of "marital coercion" and unanimously found her guilty of taking her former husband's speeding points 10 years ago. The former Liberal Democrat energy secretary admitted the charge on the first day of a planned joint trial in February, after months of denial. |
| The charges related to an incident in March 2003, when Huhne's car was caught by a speed camera on the motorway between Stansted airport and London. | The charges related to an incident in March 2003, when Huhne's car was caught by a speed camera on the motorway between Stansted airport and London. |
| In 2011, at the end of their marriage, Pryce, 60, embarked on a six-month campaign to "bring down" Huhne and "nail" him after he left her for his PR adviser, Carina Trimingham, by trying to get the points story into the press without exposing herself to prosecution. | In 2011, at the end of their marriage, Pryce, 60, embarked on a six-month campaign to "bring down" Huhne and "nail" him after he left her for his PR adviser, Carina Trimingham, by trying to get the points story into the press without exposing herself to prosecution. |
| She was helped by her friend, the prominent barrister and part-time judge, Constance Briscoe, 55, who may face charges over her involvement in the case. Briscoe, said to have been aware in 2003 that Pryce took Huhne's points, was dropped by the prosecution as a "witness of truth" and has been arrested after allegedly lying to police by claiming to have had no dealings with newspapers over the speeding story. Emails discovered later appeared to show she was in contact with the Mail on Sunday. | She was helped by her friend, the prominent barrister and part-time judge, Constance Briscoe, 55, who may face charges over her involvement in the case. Briscoe, said to have been aware in 2003 that Pryce took Huhne's points, was dropped by the prosecution as a "witness of truth" and has been arrested after allegedly lying to police by claiming to have had no dealings with newspapers over the speeding story. Emails discovered later appeared to show she was in contact with the Mail on Sunday. |
| Clegg and the business secretary, Vince Cable, have been forced to deny suggestions in emails from Pryce to the Sunday Times political editor, Isabel Oakeshott, that they knew about the scandal before it became public. | Clegg and the business secretary, Vince Cable, have been forced to deny suggestions in emails from Pryce to the Sunday Times political editor, Isabel Oakeshott, that they knew about the scandal before it became public. |
| Pryce had fought the charges by claiming the archaic defence of marital coercion, maintaining Huhne, then an MEP, had "pressurised" her into taking his points at the time as he was facing a driving ban. | Pryce had fought the charges by claiming the archaic defence of marital coercion, maintaining Huhne, then an MEP, had "pressurised" her into taking his points at the time as he was facing a driving ban. |
| After admitting the charges, Huhne, 58, who was only narrowly defeated by Clegg for the party leadership, announced he was resigning his parliamentary seat, bringing to an end a high-flying political career. He is also facing a hefty legal bill after the Crown Prosecution Service announced plans to recoup the costs of his "sustained challenges" against the prosecution before his last-minute change of plea. | After admitting the charges, Huhne, 58, who was only narrowly defeated by Clegg for the party leadership, announced he was resigning his parliamentary seat, bringing to an end a high-flying political career. He is also facing a hefty legal bill after the Crown Prosecution Service announced plans to recoup the costs of his "sustained challenges" against the prosecution before his last-minute change of plea. |
| Despite the embarrassment his prosecution heaped on the party, Huhne received fulsome praise at last weekend's Lib Dem spring conference. | Despite the embarrassment his prosecution heaped on the party, Huhne received fulsome praise at last weekend's Lib Dem spring conference. |
| Clegg described him as an "effective" and "outstanding" politician and there was a round of applause for Huhne in Brighton on Friday night when the party doyenne Lady Williams hailed his "brilliant" performance in government, describing his downfall and that of Pryce as a "domestic tragedy". | Clegg described him as an "effective" and "outstanding" politician and there was a round of applause for Huhne in Brighton on Friday night when the party doyenne Lady Williams hailed his "brilliant" performance in government, describing his downfall and that of Pryce as a "domestic tragedy". |
| According to Crown Prosecution Service guidelines, the usual range of jail sentence is between four and 36 months, with "the degree of persistence" involved and the "seriousness of the substantive offence" taken into account. | According to Crown Prosecution Service guidelines, the usual range of jail sentence is between four and 36 months, with "the degree of persistence" involved and the "seriousness of the substantive offence" taken into account. |
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