Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Tulisa Contostavlos' Fake Sheikh Mazher Mahmood charged after trial collapse

Share this:

Undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood, known as the fake sheikh, has been charged with conspiring to pervert the court of justice following the collapsed trial of Tulisa Contostavlos in July 2014.

The former News of the World reporter has been charged alongside his driver Alan Smith, and is alleged to have "misled the court" during the drugs trial by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

TulisaContostavlos1 © Photo: Getty Images

Tulisa Contostavlos' Fake Sheikh has been charged

Nick Vamos of the CPS, said: "After carefully considering all of the evidence the CPS has decided that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest to charge both men.

"This decision comes after it was alleged that Mr Smith agreed with Mr Mahmood to change his statement to police as part of a trial in July 2014, and that Mr Mahmood then misled the court."

Tulisa went on trial at Southwark Crown Court in 2014 charged with supplying a Class A drug. The reporter claimed that she had put him in touch with her rapper friend Mike GLC to supply him with the drugs, which Tulisa vehemently denied.

TulisaContostavlos © Photo: Getty Images

Tulisa's court case was dropped in July 2014

Known as the Fake Sheikh because of his undercover disguise, Mahmood posed as a wealthy film producer called Samir Khan during meetings at a string of luxury hotels and restaurants. He promised that he could secure Tulisa a part in a film with Leonardo DiCaprio.

Mike GLC, whose real name is Michael Coombs had previously pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine. However in July 2014, Judge Alistair McReath threw out the case after ruling that there were strong grounds to believe that the reporter, who was a witness to the prosecution, had lied to the court.

While Tulisa is yet to comment on the latest developments, the former X Factor judge was ecstatic when the charges against her were initially withdrawn.

Standing on the steps of the court, she said her life had been "ruined" for a year and she was looking forward to getting her life back on track.

"As someone who has had my life ruined for the past year, I believe that this type of entrapment should not happen to anyone," she said. "I have not been able to work for a year can now look forward to resuming my career."

More Celebrity News

See more