Tulisa trial 'thrown out of court' after judge tells jury he has 'strong grounds to believe' that 'Fake Sheikh' had lied
The former X Factor judge was seen smiling in the docks as the judge announced the collapse of the case involving Mazhir 'Fake Sheikh' Mahmood
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Tulisa Contostavlos’s trial for allegedly brokering a cocaine deal worth £820 has been thrown out of court, the jury has heard.
The singer had stood accused of boasting that she could “sort out” a large supply of cocaine for an undercover journalist, Mazher ‘Fake Sheikh’ Mahmood.
It was claimed that she’d put him in touch with her rapper friend Mike GLC, who supplied the Class A drug to Mahmood in May 2013.
Mike GLC, real name Michael Coombs, pleaded guilty last week.
Mahmood had posed as a wealthy film producer called Samir Khan when he met the former X Factor judge at a string of luxury hotels and restaurants, jurors at London's Southwark Crown Court heard.
Contostavlos had vehemently denied brokering the deal, which was exposed by the Sun on Sunday newspaper in June 2012.
But today (21 July), Judge Alistair McCreath told the jury that the case “cannot go any further” because there were “strong grounds to believe” that Mr Mahmood had “lied” at a hearing before the trial started.
The 26-year-old star was seen smiling broadly in the dock as the jury was formally discharged, PA reports.
“There are strong grounds for believing Mr Mahmood told me lies,” Judge McCreath told the jury.
He said that a number of things had happened in the case which had thrown up “considerable considerations” and that the trial could not proceed if the prosecution had been “tainted by some serious misconduct”.
The judge said that he had initially refused the defence’s application to throw out the case, but said that matters had changed.
He recounted jury evidence given by the Mahmood, whose evidence is central to the case.
Mahmood could now theoretically face perjury charges.
Michael Coombs’ case was also thrown out.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.