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| Chris Huhne and ex-wife Vicky Pryce freed from prison early | Chris Huhne and ex-wife Vicky Pryce freed from prison early |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The disgraced former cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife have been freed from prison after serving 62 days of their respective eight-month sentences for perverting the course of justice. | The disgraced former cabinet minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife have been freed from prison after serving 62 days of their respective eight-month sentences for perverting the course of justice. |
| Huhne, 58, and Vicky Pryce, 60, were jailed on 11 March for the offence dating back a decade when Pryce took speeding points for her then husband. | Huhne, 58, and Vicky Pryce, 60, were jailed on 11 March for the offence dating back a decade when Pryce took speeding points for her then husband. |
| The former energy secretary had been serving his sentence at Leyhill prison in Gloucestershire. Pryce, a renowned economist, was in East Sutton Park prison, near Maidstone, Kent. Both are category D open jails. The pair will have to wear electronic tags under the terms of their early release. | The former energy secretary had been serving his sentence at Leyhill prison in Gloucestershire. Pryce, a renowned economist, was in East Sutton Park prison, near Maidstone, Kent. Both are category D open jails. The pair will have to wear electronic tags under the terms of their early release. |
| Huhne pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice after months of staunch denials and several attempts to get the case thrown out. Pryce was convicted of the offence by a jury after a trial at Southwark crown court when her defence of marital coercion failed. | Huhne pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice after months of staunch denials and several attempts to get the case thrown out. Pryce was convicted of the offence by a jury after a trial at Southwark crown court when her defence of marital coercion failed. |
| Both were pursued by press photographers on their release on Monday. Huhne left Leyhill by the main entrance in the back seat of a silver Honda. Pryce had earlier emerged from East Sutton Park via a back exit and left with her solicitor, Robert Brown. | Both were pursued by press photographers on their release on Monday. Huhne left Leyhill by the main entrance in the back seat of a silver Honda. Pryce had earlier emerged from East Sutton Park via a back exit and left with her solicitor, Robert Brown. |
| For sentences under a year, an offender is automatically released after serving half of their sentence. | |
| Prisoners serving sentences of between three months and four years, with certain exceptions for violent and sexual offenders, may also be eligible for release on a home detention curfew. | Prisoners serving sentences of between three months and four years, with certain exceptions for violent and sexual offenders, may also be eligible for release on a home detention curfew. |
| Huhne and Pryce are yet to hear how much they will have to pay for the cost of their prosecution. | Huhne and Pryce are yet to hear how much they will have to pay for the cost of their prosecution. |
| Last month, a costs hearing heard that the Crown Prosecution Service is seeking more than £100,000 from Huhne but the former Lib Dem politician's legal team has offered just £25,000. | |
| The prosecutor, Andrew Edis QC, told the court last month: "All of this occurred because Mr Huhne decided to do everything he could to try and get away with what he had done and gave in only at the last minute when defeat was inevitable." | The prosecutor, Andrew Edis QC, told the court last month: "All of this occurred because Mr Huhne decided to do everything he could to try and get away with what he had done and gave in only at the last minute when defeat was inevitable." |
| Huhne's barrister, John Kelsey-Fry QC, said it was "simply unjust and unreasonable" to expect Huhne to pay what he described as "every single possible penny that anybody could think of". | Huhne's barrister, John Kelsey-Fry QC, said it was "simply unjust and unreasonable" to expect Huhne to pay what he described as "every single possible penny that anybody could think of". |
| The CPS is seeking a total of £48,695.56 from Pryce, the court heard. During her trial, the court heard that she had embarked on a media campaign to "nail" her former husband after he left her in 2010 for a PR adviser, Carina Trimingham. | The CPS is seeking a total of £48,695.56 from Pryce, the court heard. During her trial, the court heard that she had embarked on a media campaign to "nail" her former husband after he left her in 2010 for a PR adviser, Carina Trimingham. |