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| Tulisa Contostavlos drugs trial collapses | Tulisa Contostavlos drugs trial collapses |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Singer and TV star Tulisa Contostavlos's trial over drugs allegations has collapsed. | Singer and TV star Tulisa Contostavlos's trial over drugs allegations has collapsed. |
| Judge Alistair McCreath told Southwark Crown Court he believed prosecution witness Mazher Mahmood had lied to the court. | Judge Alistair McCreath told Southwark Crown Court he believed prosecution witness Mazher Mahmood had lied to the court. |
| Mr Mahmood had claimed that Ms Contostavlos had put him in touch with her rapper friend Mike GLC to supply him with Class A drugs. | |
| The former X Factor judge had denied the allegations. | The former X Factor judge had denied the allegations. |
| The judge told the jury 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 judge told the jury 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 court heard that undercover reporter Mr Mahmood, known as the Fake Sheikh, had posed as a wealthy film producer called Samir Khan when he met the former X Factor judge at several luxury hotels and restaurants. | The court heard that undercover reporter Mr Mahmood, known as the Fake Sheikh, had posed as a wealthy film producer called Samir Khan when he met the former X Factor judge at several luxury hotels and restaurants. |
| He claimed the singer said she could procure cocaine for him when he offered her a lead role in a film. | He claimed the singer said she could procure cocaine for him when he offered her a lead role in a film. |
| Giving evidence from behind a screen, Mr Mahmood said he used "subterfuge" when he secretly recorded meetings with the ex-N-Dubz star, who is from Friern Barnet, north London, to establish whether she was involved in drugs. | |
| Under cross-examination he denied the reason was to create a "sensational story" but said it was "in the public interest to expose criminality". | |
| 'Fake Sheikh' suspended | |
| Ms Contostavlos vehemently denied brokering the deal, which was exposed in the Sun on Sunday newspaper in June 2013. | Ms Contostavlos vehemently denied brokering the deal, which was exposed in the Sun on Sunday newspaper in June 2013. |
| Following the dismissal of the case, Ms Contostavlos urged police to investigate Mr Mahmood and "put an end to his deceits". | |
| The Sun also issued a statement which said Mr Mahmood had been "suspended pending an immediate internal investigation". | |
| The singer's co-defendant, Mike GLC, whose real name is Michael Coombs, 36, previously pleaded guilty to supplying half an ounce (13.9g) of cocaine. | The singer's co-defendant, Mike GLC, whose real name is Michael Coombs, 36, previously pleaded guilty to supplying half an ounce (13.9g) of cocaine. |
| Tests later showed the cocaine, which was sold for £820, was at 37% purity. | Tests later showed the cocaine, which was sold for £820, was at 37% purity. |
| Mr Coombs will also walk free after the judge said the case could not proceed against him. | Mr Coombs will also walk free after the judge said the case could not proceed against him. |