After having both been convicted in theatrical show trials former Liberal Democrat (LibDem) MP Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce have today been sentenced for the offence of perverting the course of justice relating to Pryce accepting penalty points on her driving licence after Huhne was caught driving faster then the speed limit.
In keeping with the tone of the trials themselves the Judge kept the Court open for an extra hour to build the tension amongst the assembled media. Eventually Huhne was sentenced to 8 months in prison having apparently had his sentenced reduced by 10% for pleading guilty as is standard practice. However it is not immediately clear what his original sentence would have been. Despite not having pleaded guilty Pryce was also sentenced to 8 months in prison. So it would appear that Pryce has been rewarded for using the controversial defence of marital coercion during a theatrical show trial while Huhne appears to have been punished for pleading guilty and not taking part in a theatrical show trial.
As they are likely to be considered vulnerable rather then troublesome prisoners it is unlikely that neither Pryce nor Huhne will serve more then half their sentences (4 months) and those sentences will probably be served in minimum security 'Open' prisons. There is also a possability they could be released after 3 months on parole with an electronic ankle tag.
It is here that the comparison with Chris Brown's legal troubles end. That because prior to this conviction both Pryce and Huhne were considered to be upstanding members of the community of good character and having no previous criminal convictions. Also the original offence they perverted - penalty points on a driving licence - is so minor that most people forget it's actually a crime while the conspiracy to pervert the course of justice was hardly complicated and required little pre-meditation - simply signing a single form.
Chris Brown of course is a convicted felon, is on probation and stands accused of multiple offences against public order along with numerous separate offences of perverting the course of justice by way of an elaborate fraud. He should at least expect a year in prison for each of those fraud and perverting offences. However as Rihanna's tour schedule brings her back to Los Angles just as Brown in scheduled to appear in an LA Court it's clear that no-one yet has any intention of prosecuting him.
18:05 on 11/3/13.
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