CHRIS Huhne admitted he had "lied and lied again" to save his political career as the former Energy Secretary and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce were both sentenced to eight months in jail for perverting the court of justice.
The end of the court case that played out in public the bitter break-up of a marriage came a decade to the day since the offence that led to their downfall.
Pryce took three speeding points for her then husband in 2003 so that Huhne, an MEP at the time, would not receive a motoring ban.
Prime Minister David Cameron said the jailing of his former Cabinet colleague was a "reminder that no-one, however high and mighty, is out of the reach of the justice system".
Nick Clegg, his Liberal Democrat deputy, described the imprisonment of Huhne, his one-time rival for the party leadership, and Pryce as a "personal tragedy for Chris, Vicky and their families". He said he hoped they would "both be given the time and space to rebuild their lives".
Huhne, in a television interview recorded ahead of sentencing, said his main message was to apologise to his family, friends, colleagues and constituents in his former seat of Eastleigh in Hampshire.
He said: "Very clearly, I should not have swapped points with my ex-wife. It was a stupid thing to do and I very much regret doing it; I am very sorry I did do it."
He accepted he had inflicted a "lot of hurt" on his family and his ex-wife, which "explains some of the behaviour that has gone on since and I'm very sorry for that as well".
Asked if he had lied to save his career, the former Secretary of State replied: "I certainly lied and lied again. Part of it was about saving my career but it was also partly to try and avoid the consequences for my family."
He explained how it seemed "crazy" that a superficially trivial issue of exchanging speeding points could "spin into this massive, devastating set of consequences for family, career and for everything you really care about".
Huhne, who had consistently denied any wrongdoing, spent weeks trying, unsuccessfully, to get the case thrown out of court and, in a dramatic move at the start of his trial, changed his plea to guilty.
He explained that he did so in order not to perjure himself and also to "spare some of the bloodiness in terms of the family".
Trial judge Mr Justice Sweeney, on passing sentence yesterday, told Huhne: "You have fallen from a great height."
The 58-year-old ex-minister, who showed no emotion throughout the final hearing, is expected to serve the first part of his jail term at HMP Wandsworth in south London.
The judge told Pryce she had shown a "controlling, manipulative and devious side".
The 60-year-old economist had used the press to "nail" her former husband in revenge for his affair with Carina Trimingham, a party aide.
The judge added: "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."
He said both had given valuable public service but he had no doubt of their "shared ambition" when Pryce took the points.
Pryce will serve the first part of her sentence at HMP Holloway in north London.
While both received eight-month sentences, they are expected to serve only half.
Pryce's failed defence was that Huhne coerced her into taking the speeding points. Huhne, however, insisted: "I am not a bully, I never have been a bully and I never will be a bully."
As Huhne prepared for jail, Jonathan Aitken, the former Tory Cabinet minister who fell from grace when he was jailed 14 years ago for lying in court, warned him to expect to be confronted by "the wild west" in prison.
Former LibDem leader Paddy Ashdown said he believed there was no way back into politics for Huhne – although he could return to public life.
Asked about a comeback, Lord Ashdown said he believed in redemption but added: "You never say never in politics but if I ever said never about anything I'd say it about this.
"I don't say he can't return to public life. He can in some form, no doubt after a decent period in which I think an important part of that will be silence and reflection."
Lord Ashdown added: "I think it is simply impossible to see this tragic spectacle worked out in public and ... not feel a degree of regret, sadness and pain about somebody else's misery."
Huhne accepted his political career was now over and added: "We will have to see what the future holds but I will hope for the best."
The Crown Prosecution Service is now trying to recoup £117,558 for the prosecution of the former couple, as well as an extra £31,000 from the ex-Cabinet minister for his attempts to get the case thrown out. Costs will be determined at a later date.
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