Former South East MEP Chris Huhne jailed for eight months (From Bucks Free Press)

Former South East MEP Chris Huhne jailed for eight months

5:38pm Monday 11th March 2013 in News

Former South East MEP Huhne jailed for eight months

SHAMED former MP Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce have been jailed for eight months for perverting the course of justice.

The pair, sentenced at Southwark Crown Court today, were convicted after Pryce took the points on her driving licence for Huhne after he was caught speeding on the M11 in 2003.

Huhne, 58, a former Cabinet Minister, was elected as a member of the European Parliament for the South East of England - which covers Buckinghamshire - in 1999.

He stood down as an MEP to run in the 2005 General Election and was elected as MP for the Eastleigh constituency.

Mr Justice Sweeney told Huhne: "You have fallen from a great height albeit that that is only modest mitigation given that it is a height that you would never have achieved if you had not hidden your commission of such a serious offence in the first place,"

His former wife claimed the defence of marital coercion. The judge told Pryce she had a "controlling, manipulative and devious side".

Turning to the couple, Justice Sweeney said: "To the extent that anything good has come out of this whole process, it is that now, finally, you have both been brought to justice for your joint offence.

"Any element of tragedy is entirely your own fault."