Judge Jailed For Lying Over Huhne Scandal

A barrister and part-time judge has been jailed after being found guilty of lying to police over the Chris Huhne speeding points scandal.

Constance Briscoe has been sentenced to 16 months after being convicted of three counts of trying to pervert the course of justice.

The charges related to the investigation into the disgraced former cabinet minister passing speeding points to his then-wife Vicky Pryce a decade ago.

Briscoe, 56, of Clapham, south London, had been suspended since her arrest in October 2012 and now faces being barred from sitting as a judge.

Jailing her, judge Mr Justice Baker told Briscoe if she and Ms Pryce shared anything in common it was "arrogance by educated individuals who considered respect for the law was for others".

He said the conviction was a "personal tragedy" for a woman who had been "something of a role model for others".

But said he: "You were motivated, as was Vicky Pryce, by a joint desire to ensure the downfall of Chris Huhne.

"I'm sure that you realise only too well that this conduct strikes at the heart of our much-cherished criminal justice system."

On receiving her sentence, Briscoe replied: "I'm grateful my lord."

Mr Justice Baker said he had taken account of her previous good character and the "devastating effect" of the conviction on her career in deciding sentence.

Briscoe's jail sentence was double that of Mr Huhne and Ms Pryce.

In a statement released after the guilty verdict on Thursday, Mr Huhne described Briscoe as a "compulsive and self-publicising fantasist".

He said: "British justice is likely to be a lot fairer with Briscoe behind bars."

Jurors had been told Briscoe helped friend and neighbour Ms Pryce, reveal information about Mr Huhne's points-swapping to newspapers after the couple split in 2010.

The scandal led to Mr Huhne's resignation and subsequent prosecution.

He pleaded guilty in February last year, while Ms Pryce was convicted after a trial - both were jailed.

When the claims were first raised in 2011, Briscoe told police the economist had confided in her in 2003 after she - Briscoe - found out Mr Huhne had asked his wife to take his speeding points, portraying herself as an "independent and objective" witness.

She subsequently denied contact with newspapers or journalists but emails revealed there had been contact.

She was later dropped as a witness in the Huhne and Pryce trials and was arrested in October 2012.