Police press Sunday Times to hand over Chris Huhne tape

Judge has ordered the paper to hand over the tape, but Sunday Times is considering an appeal against his decision

Essex police are taking legal action to seize a tape recording that might implicate the energy secretary, Chris Huhne, for avoiding taking penalty points over a speeding offence.

The police have won a court order directing the Sunday Times to hand over an alleged tape recording between Huhne and his former wife, Vicky Pryce.

According to an account of the conversation published by the Sunday Times two months ago, Pryce can be heard talking about her fears of a police inquiry if the claims became public. "It's one of the things that worried me when I took them; when you made me take the points in the first instance," she says.

Huhne is non-committal about the episode, according to the published account, but urges her not to discuss the matter with journalists.

The taped conversation then found its way to the Sunday Times.

It is understood that after the police mounted an investigation into whether Huhne had asked his wife to take penalty points on her licence, Pryce said she was unable to provide the police with any further evidence to substantiate claims she had made in newspapers.

After a private hearing at Chelmsford crown court last week, a judge ordered that the taped evidence be handed to the police.

The Sunday Times has said it might appeal on the grounds of keeping sources confidential. Essex police is investigating claims that Huhne avoided a driving ban by persuading Pryce to say she was driving when his car was clocked speeding in 2003. Huhne has denied any wrongdoing.

If there is sufficient evidence, either Huhne and Pryce, a respected economist, could both be charged with a criminal offence. Pryce has been involved in complex divorce proceedings, and all sides face the danger of failing to co-operate with a police inquiry.


guardian.co.uk Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds


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