Crown Court rejects expense MPs' privilege appeal

FORMER Livingston MP Jim Devine has lost an appeal over a ruling that he is not protected from prosecution by parliamentary privilege over allegations that he fiddled expenses.

Mr Devine brought the case along with fellow former accused David Chaytor, Elliot Morley and Lord Hanningfield. The men all deny theft by false accounting.

They were appealing against a ruling in June by Mr Justice Saunders, sitting at Southwark Crown Court in central London, which rejected arguments that they were protected by parliamentary privilege and should be dealt with by Parliament alone.

Yesterday, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, sitting with Lord Neuberger and Sir Anthony May, agreed with the original ruling from the judge.

The four defendants, who are on unconditional bail, will now face separate criminal trials as a result of the ruling. They can still seek to take their case to the Supreme Court, however.