A former judge, who was jailed for lying to police investigating the Chris Huhne speeding points scandal, has lost her appeal against conviction.

Barrister and author Constance Briscoe, 57, was given a 16-month sentence after being found guilty of trying to pervert the course of justice over the investigation into how the former UK Energy Secretary passed points to his then-wife.

Briscoe was jailed after it emerged that she had helped economist Pryce, a friend and neighbour, to reveal information about Huhne's points-swapping to newspapers after the couple split in 2010. She was later removed from judicial office.

Lord Justice Davis, Mr Justice Supperstone and Judge Martyn Zeidman refused her permission to appeal against her conviction or to produce fresh expert computer forensic evidence.

She claimed that this would show there was a possible innocent explanation for differences between two witness statements she had provided and this would cast doubt on the safety of her conviction.

But, the judges at the Court of Appeal said that no reasonable explanation had been given for the failure to produce such evidence at her trial if it was thought it would assist the defence and, in any case, other possibilities were alluded to and left to the jury.

They said: "Having considered all the material before us, our conclusion is that there is no proper basis for receiving this proposed fresh evidence in the interests of justice.

"Such evidence, if relied on, could, with reasonable diligence, have been produced at trial.

"Further, and more importantly, we consider that it affords no ground for allowing the appeal."

Briscoe faces near bankruptcy, but was ordered to pay £3,000 costs. It will be up to the Crown to decide whether to enforce the order.