Yesterday Chris Huhne, the former Energy Secretary, pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to perverting the course of justice in connection with a speeding offence he committed in March 2003, almost ten years ago. The world knows well that he had his then wife take the blame for a speeding offence so that he could avoid losing his licence, a policy which was only of short term benefit to him and would, eventually, be his undoing. Mr Huhne is not the first Member of Parliament to imagine that he can fool the world, cheat the justice system and, get away with it. We doubt very much whether he will be the last either. At least he has taken the only honourable course open to him and resigned his seat and we must allow him some credit for that.
Our view is that in general terms sentencing for non violent offences, particularly if there is no history of repeat offending, should fall on the side of leniency. However in maintaining his innocence to the eleventh hour, only changing his plea as his trial was about to begin, Mr Huhne has wasted people's time and vast sums of public money. Had he admitted his guilt at the earliest possible opportunity, there would have been plenty of scope for exercise that leniency which we like to see. As it is, Mr Huhne has been warned by the judge to be under no illusions about the sentence he will receive when the time for sentencing comes.
Our view is that in general terms sentencing for non violent offences, particularly if there is no history of repeat offending, should fall on the side of leniency. However in maintaining his innocence to the eleventh hour, only changing his plea as his trial was about to begin, Mr Huhne has wasted people's time and vast sums of public money. Had he admitted his guilt at the earliest possible opportunity, there would have been plenty of scope for exercise that leniency which we like to see. As it is, Mr Huhne has been warned by the judge to be under no illusions about the sentence he will receive when the time for sentencing comes.