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Mazher Mahmood to be sentenced for tampering with Tulisa trial evidence Mazher Mahmood to be sentenced for tampering with Tulisa trial evidence
(about 4 hours later)
Undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood to be sentenced on Friday after being found guilty earlier this month of tampering with evidence in the collapsed drugs trial of singer Tulisa Contostavlos. Undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood is to be sentenced on Friday after being found guilty earlier this month of tampering with evidence in the collapsed drugs trial of singer Tulisa Contostavlos.
Mahmood, 53, the self-styled “King of the Sting”, and his driver Alan Smith, 67, were found guilty following a two-week Old Bailey trial of conspiring to pervert the course of justice by changing a police statement.Mahmood, 53, the self-styled “King of the Sting”, and his driver Alan Smith, 67, were found guilty following a two-week Old Bailey trial of conspiring to pervert the course of justice by changing a police statement.
After the verdict, it was announced that 20 civil claims were being launched against Mahmood and News Corp, totalling about £800m, which media lawyer Mark Lewis said could “dwarf” those brought following the phone-hacking scandal.After the verdict, it was announced that 20 civil claims were being launched against Mahmood and News Corp, totalling about £800m, which media lawyer Mark Lewis said could “dwarf” those brought following the phone-hacking scandal.
Mahmood, known as the “Fake Sheikh”, and Smith were convicted of conspiring to suppress evidence in the trial of the former N-Dubz singer and X-Factor judge, which was thrown out at Southwark crown court in July 2014.Mahmood, known as the “Fake Sheikh”, and Smith were convicted of conspiring to suppress evidence in the trial of the former N-Dubz singer and X-Factor judge, which was thrown out at Southwark crown court in July 2014.
Contostavlos had been accused of helping to arrange for Mahmood to be sold £800 of cocaine by one of her contacts following an elaborate sting for the Sun on Sunday in May 2013 in which Mahmood posed as a Bollywood producer keen to cast her in a film alongside Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio.Contostavlos had been accused of helping to arrange for Mahmood to be sold £800 of cocaine by one of her contacts following an elaborate sting for the Sun on Sunday in May 2013 in which Mahmood posed as a Bollywood producer keen to cast her in a film alongside Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio.
Following a late-night meeting at London’s Metropolitan hotel, during which Contostavlos and two associates were plied with cocktails, the singer was driven back to her Hertfordshire home by Smith, Mahmood’s driver of 20 years.Following a late-night meeting at London’s Metropolitan hotel, during which Contostavlos and two associates were plied with cocktails, the singer was driven back to her Hertfordshire home by Smith, Mahmood’s driver of 20 years.
During the car journey, Contostavlos allegedly made anti-drugs comments, speaking about a family member who had a drug problem. Smith included these remarks in his original police statement, made more than one year after the car journey and ahead of the singer’s trial. But the next day, after speaking to Mahmood and emailing the journalist his draft statement, he asked police to remove the anti-drugs remarks.During the car journey, Contostavlos allegedly made anti-drugs comments, speaking about a family member who had a drug problem. Smith included these remarks in his original police statement, made more than one year after the car journey and ahead of the singer’s trial. But the next day, after speaking to Mahmood and emailing the journalist his draft statement, he asked police to remove the anti-drugs remarks.
The jury was told Mahmood wanted the comments removed because he feared it would weaken the case against Contostavlos and he had a “vested” interest in the case to protect his reputation built over 25 years as a master of subterfuge.The jury was told Mahmood wanted the comments removed because he feared it would weaken the case against Contostavlos and he had a “vested” interest in the case to protect his reputation built over 25 years as a master of subterfuge.
Neither he nor Smith elected to give evidence in their defence.Neither he nor Smith elected to give evidence in their defence.
Mahmood had denied acting as an “agent provocateur” during a pre-trial hearing ahead of the singer’s trial. He and Smith were arrested and charged after Mahmood gave evidence at Contostavlos’s trial that appeared to concede he had talked about the anti-drugs comments with Smith and that had misled the trial judge.Mahmood had denied acting as an “agent provocateur” during a pre-trial hearing ahead of the singer’s trial. He and Smith were arrested and charged after Mahmood gave evidence at Contostavlos’s trial that appeared to concede he had talked about the anti-drugs comments with Smith and that had misled the trial judge.
Mahmood, who worked at the now-defunct News of the World, the Sunday Times and the Sun on Sunday, has claimed to have helped put more then 100 criminals behind bars.Mahmood, who worked at the now-defunct News of the World, the Sunday Times and the Sun on Sunday, has claimed to have helped put more then 100 criminals behind bars.
Following the convictions, Ben Rose, Contostavlos’s defence lawyer, said: “The real scandal in this case is that Mahmood was allowed to operate as a wholly unregulated police force ‘investigating crimes without the safeguards which apply to police.”Following the convictions, Ben Rose, Contostavlos’s defence lawyer, said: “The real scandal in this case is that Mahmood was allowed to operate as a wholly unregulated police force ‘investigating crimes without the safeguards which apply to police.”