Coalition Cabinet Minister charged with Speeding and Perverting the Course of Justice
News has just come in that Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, will be prosecuted for speeding and perverting the course of justice.
It is alleged that Mr Huhne's ex - wife, Vicky Pryce, accepted responsibility for a speeding offence committed by Mr Huhne in 2003. Ms Pryce has also been charged with perverting the course of justice. It is alleged that Mr Huhne asked his former wife to accept penalty points as he would have faced a disqualification from driving for 'totting up' had he accepted the penalty points as he would have accumulated 12 or more points on his driving licence. The law on this is quite clear; if you accumulate 12 or more penalty points on your licence within a 3 year period, you will be disqualified from driving for a minimum of 6 months as a 'totter' unless you are able to demonstrate that a disqualification would cause you 'exceptional hardship'.
The court's approach in dealing with 'totting up' is not as simplistic as it may seem. There is no scientific approach and each individual case has to be dealt with on its merits. The court is obliged to take into account a person's personal and professional circumstances when deciding whether to impose a driving ban.
Now Mr Huhne is faced with an allegation of perverting the course of justice, which is a much more serious offence that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Although a life term is highly unlikely, a possible short stint in prison if he is convicted is a stark reality. As a senior politician, the court will regard him as being a person in a position of trust and significant importance. He is a public figure and therefore it is likely that, if convicted, the court will make an example of him.
Politicians have a reputation, maybe unfairly, for being 'economical' with the truth. In recent times we have seen a number of politicians sent to prison for 'lying' or being 'dishonest'; a famous example being Lord Jeffrey Archer, who was sent to prison for a little under 2 years for perjury and perverting the course of justice.
It is fair to say that Mr Huhne is in a difficult situation at the moment, both personally and politically. However, nothing has been proven yet!
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