A barrister and part-time judge has been found guilty of lying to police in connection with the Chris Huhne speeding points scandal, Skynews reports.
Constance Briscoe was accused of trying to pervert the course of justice during the case involving the disgraced cabinet minister’s passing of speeding points to his then-wife Vicky Pryce a decade ago.
Briscoe, 56, who has been suspended since her arrest in October 2012 and denied three counts of intending to pervert the course of public justice, did not react as the jury at the Old Bailey found her guilty after deliberations lasting around five hours.
She was warned by Justice Baker to expect a custodial sentence.
The guilty verdict comes after the original trial in January failed to reach decision.
Jurors had been told Briscoe helped friend and neighbour Pryce reveal information about Huhne’s points-swapping to newspapers after the couple split in 2010.
The scandal led to Huhne’s resignation and subsequent prosecution.
He pleaded guilty in February last year, while 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 Chris 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.
The jury has heard that Briscoe – a barrister with many years’ experience – was determined to bring about Mr Huhne’s downfall and knew how to use the criminal justice system to her advantage.
Speaking after the verdict, Huhne said, “Briscoe has been revealed as a compulsive and self-publicising fantasist.
“If I had not forced the disclosure that was then used to convict Briscoe, she would never have been brought to justice.
“I take the old-fashioned view that you should not have the evidence against you fitted up by the police and the Crown Prosecution Service, who went on relying on Briscoe even after they knew she was lying.
“British justice is likely to be a lot fairer with Briscoe behind bars.”
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