Case against Liberal Democrat former minister and his ex-wife adjourned to 2 March at Southwark crown court
Former energy secretary Chris Huhne and his former wife appeared alongside each other in a court dock on Thursday accused of perverting the course of justice.
The 57-year-old Liberal Democrat MP, and economist Vicky Pryce, 59, did not exchange glances or speak during a six-minute hearing at Westminster magistrates court.
Huhne is alleged to have asked Pryce to take his penalty points for a speeding offence almost a decade ago.
The two, who spoke only to confirm their names, ages and addresses, were not required to enter pleas.
The case was sent to Southwark crown court for trial. Both were remanded on unconditional bail and ordered to attend Southwark crown court on 2 March.
Huhne, MP for Eastleigh in Hampshire, resigned from the cabinet after the announcement on 3 February by the Crown Prosecution Service that he and Pryce would face charges.
His car was allegedly caught by a speed camera on the motorway between Stansted Airport in Essex and London in March 2003.
Pryce was charged that: "Between 12 March 2003 and 21 May 2003, you intended to pervert the course of justice by committing an act during the course of an investigation into an offence of driving a vehicle in excess speed, you submitted information to the investigating authorities that you were the driver of the vehicle, causing your licence to be endorsed with three penalty points."
Huhne was charged that: "Between 21 March 2003 and 21 May 2003, you intended to pervert the course of public justice, by doing an act in that you, during the course of an investigation into an offence of driving a vehicle in excess speed, you submitted information to the investigation officer that Vicky Pryce had been the driver, enabling her to admit responsibility for the offence and causing her licence to be endorsed with three penalty points".
The two arrived at court separately, pushing their way through a throng of photographers outside.
Once inside court, they sat three seats apart outside the glass panelled dock and did not exchange looks or speak.
They were required to enter the dock by senior district judge Howard Riddle. He told the court: "The rule in this court is the defendants whoever they are and whatever process they came into court by are in the dock."
Once in the dock the two stood several feet apart during the hearing. They left separately. Huhne required the help of seven police officers to make his way through the photographers.
The allegations over the speeding penalty points did not emerge until after the MP's 26-year marriage ended in 2010 as a result of his affair with PR adviser Carina Trimingham.
The Crown Prosecution Service announced the charge earlier this month, leading Huhne to step down from his role as energy and climate change secretary, although he remains an MP.