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Sentence for Mazher Mahmood closes one chapter, but the legal fallout rumbles on Sentence for Mazher Mahmood closes one chapter, but the legal fallout rumbles on
(35 minutes later)
He was the master of subterfuge and the self-styled “King of the Sting” who claimed to have put more than 100 crooks and paedophiles behind bars over his long career at the News of the World and other titles owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News UK. He was the master of subterfuge and the self-styled “king of the sting” who claimed to have put more than 100 crooks and paedophiles behind bars over his long career at the News of the World and other titles owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News UK.
The imprisonment for 15 months of Mazher Mahmood, the self-styled “Fake Sheikh”, for tampering with evidence in a collapsed drugs trial almost certainly brings the curtain down on the 53-year-old’s career as a reporter at News UK – and represents a new front with potential multimillion-pound legal claims now being prepared against the company. The imprisonment for 15 months of Mazher Mahmood, the self-styled “Fake Sheikh”, for tampering with evidence in a collapsed drugs trial brings down the curtain on the 53-year-old’s career as a reporter at News UK – and represents a new front with potential multimillion-pound legal claims being prepared against the company.
Just as it had put the phone-hacking scandal behind it, News UK is now facing more than 45 civil claims from former victims of Mahmood’s stings, including actor John Alford, former Page 3 girl Emma Morgan and the former Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson and her ex-boyfriend John Bryan. Mark Lewis, the lawyer responsible for many of the phone-hacking claims, says legal actions by his clients, which have yet to be lodged, could exceed £800m.Just as it had put the phone-hacking scandal behind it, News UK is now facing more than 45 civil claims from former victims of Mahmood’s stings, including actor John Alford, former Page 3 girl Emma Morgan and the former Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson and her ex-boyfriend John Bryan. Mark Lewis, the lawyer responsible for many of the phone-hacking claims, says legal actions by his clients, which have yet to be lodged, could exceed £800m.
Yet, if there is any sense of embarrassment at the newspaper group, the publisher is not prepared to admit it. Mahmood may have worked at Murdoch titles for more than 25 years but the mood is very different from the summer of 2011 when when the phone-hacking scandal erupted. That led to four turbulent and expensive years which began with the closure of the News of the World as well as the arrest, trial and later acquittal of Rebekah Brooks, who is now back in charge at the publishing empire. Yet, if there is any sense of embarrassment at the newspaper group, the publisher is not prepared to admit it. Mahmood may have worked at Murdoch titles for more than 25 years but the mood is very different from the summer of 2011 when the phone-hacking scandal erupted. That led to four turbulent and expensive years that began with the closure of the News of the World as well as the arrest, trial and later acquittal of Rebekah Brooks, who is now back in charge at the publishing empire.
Insiders say Mahmood’s conviction was a surprise but that it will fight civil claims robustly. “If we were about to be hit for £800m, we would have to file a statement to the US securities and exchange commission,” said one. Insiders say Mahmood’s conviction was a surprise but that it would fight civil claims robustly. “If we were about to be hit for £800m, we would have to file a statement to the US securities and exchange commission,” said one.
Lewis is undeterred. “They can be as relaxed as they wish but the magnitude of this is much, much bigger than phone hacking.Lewis is undeterred. “They can be as relaxed as they wish but the magnitude of this is much, much bigger than phone hacking.
“I’ve had calls from people from all walks of life that he deliberately set up. Some of these people had their lives ruined for over 20 years, they lost not just their livelihoods but their liberty, careers, families,” said Lewis. “I’ve had calls from people from all walks of life that he deliberately set up. Some of these people had their lives ruined for over 20 years. They lost not just their livelihoods but their liberty, careers, families,” said Lewis.
Among those suing is former England football manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, who believes that career was brought to an end in 2006 in the wake of a News of the World sting.Among those suing is former England football manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, who believes that career was brought to an end in 2006 in the wake of a News of the World sting.
The Swede, who now works in Singapore, told reporters he is “extremely happy” to see him in jail. “It was quite clear – the official reason for me being sacked was him, the Fake Sheikh. The Swede, who now works in Singapore, told reporters he was “extremely happy” to see him in jail. “It was quite clear – the official reason for me being sacked was him, the ‘Fake Sheikh’.
“I didn’t say too much about it at the time, or afterwards, but it was painful. It is taking something special away through lies.”“I didn’t say too much about it at the time, or afterwards, but it was painful. It is taking something special away through lies.”
The collapse of the former X-Factor star Tulisa Contostavlos’s drugs trial sent ripples through the legal world as the Fake Sheikh’s damaged reputation cast doubt over a host of cases past and present. The collapse of the former X-Factor star Tulisa Contostavlos’s drugs trial sent ripples through the legal world as the ‘Fake Sheikh’’s damaged reputation cast doubt over a host of cases past and present.
During his 30-year career, Mahmood worked at the News of the World, the Sunday Times and latterly the Sun on Sunday, with figures from celebrities to royals caught up in his high-profile exposés. He started at the News of the World in 1991, working for a string of editors, including Brooks and Andy Coulson, who has jailed after the phone-hacking trial, before briefly moving to the Sunday Times after Sunday red top was closed in July 2011. During his 30-year career, Mahmood worked at the News of the World, the Sunday Times and latterly the Sun on Sunday, with figures from celebrities to royals caught up in his high-profile exposés. He started at the News of the World in 1991, working for a string of editors, including Brooks and Andy Coulson, who has jailed after the phone-hacking trial, before briefly moving to the Sunday Times after Sunday red-top was closed in July 2011.
The day after the collapse of the Tulisa trial at Southwark crown court, Mahmood was suspended by News UK.The day after the collapse of the Tulisa trial at Southwark crown court, Mahmood was suspended by News UK.
In the following months, live trials in which Mahmood was to be a star witness were dropped while prosecutors looked again at past convictions during his career as “King of the Sting”. In the following months, live trials in which Mahmood was to be a star witness were dropped while prosecutors looked again at past convictions during his career as “king of the sting”.
In December 2014, the Crown Prosecution Service said it was reviewing 25 convictions and had offered no evidence in three live cases for which Mahmood was to be a prosecution witness.In December 2014, the Crown Prosecution Service said it was reviewing 25 convictions and had offered no evidence in three live cases for which Mahmood was to be a prosecution witness.
That year, a judge threw out the case of PR man Leon “Starino” Anderson for allegedly supplying drugs to Mahmood. That year, a judge threw out the case of PR man Leon “Starino” Anderson for allegedly supplying drugs to Mahmood. Anderson was arrested after the Sun published a story claiming he dealt £300-worth of cocaine and MDMA during what was a dry run for the Tulisa sting.
Anderson was arrested after the Sun published a story claiming he dealt £300 worth of cocaine and MDMA during what was a dry run for the Tulisa sting.
Judge Alistair McCreath, who also threw out Contostavlos’s trial, dismissed the case after prosecutors said Mahmood was not reliable.Judge Alistair McCreath, who also threw out Contostavlos’s trial, dismissed the case after prosecutors said Mahmood was not reliable.
The crown offered no evidence in the case of a doctor, Majeed Ridha and pharmacist Murtaza Gulamhusein, who were accused of illegally supplying an abortion drug during an undercover investigation for the Sunday Times.The crown offered no evidence in the case of a doctor, Majeed Ridha and pharmacist Murtaza Gulamhusein, who were accused of illegally supplying an abortion drug during an undercover investigation for the Sunday Times.
In January last year, prosecutors dropped the case against 13 footballers investigated over alleged match-fixing.In January last year, prosecutors dropped the case against 13 footballers investigated over alleged match-fixing.
The CPS said there was “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction” in light of what happened in the Tulisa trial.The CPS said there was “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction” in light of what happened in the Tulisa trial.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has confirmed it has, in the past fortnight, added two more cases to the list of six “Mahmood related convictions” it was reviewing for possible referral to the court of appeal.The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has confirmed it has, in the past fortnight, added two more cases to the list of six “Mahmood related convictions” it was reviewing for possible referral to the court of appeal.
Five years ago it got the conviction of an Albanian, branded a bogus asylum seeker and a “drug-pushing pimp”, reversed following a sting by Mahmood in which he was persuaded to obtain cocaine and forged ID documents, claiming it would increase his chance of employment.Five years ago it got the conviction of an Albanian, branded a bogus asylum seeker and a “drug-pushing pimp”, reversed following a sting by Mahmood in which he was persuaded to obtain cocaine and forged ID documents, claiming it would increase his chance of employment.
Among the eight cases being reviewed currently by the CCRC is that of Alford who told the Guardian he is “the happiest man alive” following the reporter’s conviction for conspiring to pervert the course of justice. Among the eight cases being reviewed by the CCRC is that of Alford, who told the Guardian he was “the happiest man alive” following the reporter’s conviction for conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
The actor fell foul of a similar cocaine string as Contostavlos and ended up in jail. Alford, who started his career in Grange Hill, said he lost his £120,000 job, his house and his career after being convicted on drugs charges.The actor fell foul of a similar cocaine string as Contostavlos and ended up in jail. Alford, who started his career in Grange Hill, said he lost his £120,000 job, his house and his career after being convicted on drugs charges.
“They destroyed my life,” he said. “The little spark inside me went.”“They destroyed my life,” he said. “The little spark inside me went.”
Others being reviewed by CCRC are the Earl of Hardwicke and his business partner Stefan Thwaites who were convicted after a drugs sting in 1999, the Pakistan spot-fixing case of businessman Mazhar Majeed in 2011, and that of Rani and Joginder Kashyap who were convicted of an immigration offence in 2007.Others being reviewed by CCRC are the Earl of Hardwicke and his business partner Stefan Thwaites who were convicted after a drugs sting in 1999, the Pakistan spot-fixing case of businessman Mazhar Majeed in 2011, and that of Rani and Joginder Kashyap who were convicted of an immigration offence in 2007.
Hardwicke declined to comment, but it is understood he is among those considering civil action against News UK.Hardwicke declined to comment, but it is understood he is among those considering civil action against News UK.
Despite the questions raised about the ethics and legality of his journalistic practices, those that know Mahmood remain loyal to him even if they don’t know him very well.Despite the questions raised about the ethics and legality of his journalistic practices, those that know Mahmood remain loyal to him even if they don’t know him very well.
“I couldn’t even tell you if he was married for instance, he was never in the office,” said one journalist who has worked on the same paper.“I couldn’t even tell you if he was married for instance, he was never in the office,” said one journalist who has worked on the same paper.
The conviction, they stress, is not for entrapment or his journalistic practices, it is for lying about evidence used in a trial.The conviction, they stress, is not for entrapment or his journalistic practices, it is for lying about evidence used in a trial.
“Whatever your distaste of his methods, I just feel sorry for any journalist going to jail for something they did during the course of their work,” said another.“Whatever your distaste of his methods, I just feel sorry for any journalist going to jail for something they did during the course of their work,” said another.