LONDON - Former British energy minister Chris Huhne and his ex-wife were both jailed for eight months on Monday for perverting the course of justice after she took his penalty points for a speeding offence. Huhne had earlier admitted passing the points to economist Vicky Pryce in 2003 in a bid to avoid a driving ban. Pryce had used the defence of marital coercion but was convicted by a jury last week. The pair would have escaped justice had Greek-born Pryce not told newspapers about the offence eight years later as part of a quest for vengeance after Huhne left her for a bisexual aide.Sentencing the pair at Southwark Crown Court in London, judge Nigel Sweeney said the pair had “stellar” careers at the time of the offence and “no doubt you thought you’d get away with it”.“You have both been brought to justice for your joint offence,” he said. “Any element of tragedy is entirely your own fault.”The judge told Huhne, a one time contender for the leadership of the centrist Liberal Democrat party that is the junior partner in Britain’s coalition government, he had “fallen from a great height”.Pryce meanwhile had an “an implacable desire for revenge”, Sweeney said.The judge said she had a “controlling, manipulative and devious side”.The former couple were side-by-side in the dock as they were sentenced. Neither showed any emotion.