Judge Arrested for "lying to police" about role in exposing Chris Huhne

Judge Constance Briscoe arrested for 'lying to police' about role in
exposing Chris Huhne


Britain's most prominent black judge, Constance Briscoe, has been arrested
on suspicion of lying to police about her part in exposing Chris Huhne's
speeding points scam, it can be revealed today.








Constance Briscoe, Britain's
most high-profile black judge, has been arrested on suspicion of lying to police
about her role in bringing about Chris Huhne's
downfall






By Sam Marsden, Gordon Rayner and Alice Philipson

1:27PM GMT 26 Feb 2013




Ms Briscoe, 55, regularly briefed journalists over several months about how
Huhne, 58, had forced his former wife, Vicky Pryce, 60, to take his penalty
points so he would not lose his driving licence, it is alleged.


The high-profile lawyer was interviewed by Kent Police last year over
allegations that she lied in a witness statement when she said she had not
spoken to the media about the episode.


A statement from a police officer read to the jury at Miss Pryce’s retrial
today set out the fact that Miss Briscoe was not being called as a prosecution
witness because she could not be relied upon as a “witness of truth”.


She has not been charged but remains on police bail.


Until now the media has been banned from reporting Miss Briscoe’s involvement
in the Huhne case, or the reason she was arrested, because of a series of strict
reporting restrictions issued by the courts.



Related Articles

• 
  Huhne quits as he faces jail over speeding points
  guilty plea
  04 Feb 2013
  
• 
  Chris Huhne pleads guilty to perverting course of
  justice
  04 Feb 2013
  
• 
  Vicky Pryce is in the mood to party
  04 Feb 2013
  

The prosecution at Southwark Crown Court has told the jury trying Miss Pryce
that Miss Briscoe briefed a Sunday newspaper in 2010 and 2011 about Miss Pryce
taking speeding points for Huhne in 2003 to help him avoid a driving ban.

Prosecutor Andrew Edis QC today read jurors a statement from Detective
Inspector Martin Passmore explaining why certain people had not been called as
witnesses in the case.

It said: “Ms Briscoe has provided statements to the police in this case but
during the investigation it became apparent that she may have lied about her
involvement with the press and that she denied having any contact with the Mail
on Sunday or any other media organisation in relation to this story.

“Ms Pryce has not been arrested or interviewed in relation to that
allegation. For this reason Ms Briscoe has been arrested and is currently under
investigation by the police.

“Ms Briscoe could therefore no longer be relied upon as a witness of truth
and on October 2, 2012 the Crown Prosecution Service took the decision not to
call Ms Briscoe to give evidence in the case.”

Miss Briscoe, one of the first black women to sit as a judge in Britain,
lives a few doors down from Pryce and Huhne's marital home in Clapham, south
London and has been friends with them for many years.

Pryce told her in 2003 that the former Lib-Dem cabinet minister was forcing
her to take his penalty points after he was caught speeding on the M11 in Essex.


Seven years later, after Huhne and Pryce's marriage broke down over the
politician's affair with his PR adviser Carina Trimingham, the judge allegedly
played an active part in attempts to leak the speeding points incident to
newspapers, the trial heard.

Miss Briscoe, who grew up in south London, studied law at Newcastle and was
called to the Bar in 1983. She worked as a criminal lawyer before being
appointed a crown court recorder in 1996. She has worked as a specialist rape
prosecutor and is a barrister at 9–12 Bell Yard chambers and in 2006 she
published an autobiography called Ugly.

Miss Briscoe declined to comment about her arrest when contacted by the Daily
Telegraph.

A member of the British Judiciary lying... how unbelievable is that?

malena stool wrote:A member of the British Judiciary lying... how unbelievable is that?

Do you know malena, as I have been reading and posting I don't think I have ever known such a corrupt institution as Parliament , excluding many backbenchers who work hard for their constituents , but the Cabinet is decidedly unfit for purpose . All this sleaze, dirty tricks etc makes my blood boil.!!!
The Judges overruling the Home Office in favour of EU rules beggars belief..!!!

Vicky Pryce has been found guilty. Apparently she may get a long sentence than him as she took the points plus lied about marital coercion...

No sympathy for her.

http://www.itv.com/news/story/2013-03-07/vicky-pryce-perverting-the-course-of-justice-huhne/


Vicky Pryce 'very disappointed' with guilty verdict

Robert Brown, the solicitor of Vicky Pryce has given a statement following his client's conviction.

Speaking outside Southwark Crown Court he said Ms Pryce was "very disappointed" with the guilty verdict. On her behalf, he also thanked those who had supported her through the "difficult period", including her children, friends and colleagues.

Earlier the former wife of Chris Huhne was found guilty of perverting the course of justice for taking his speeding points a decade ago.



I think I would be more than 'very disappointed' if I knew I was going to be put in the slammer