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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 said he thought prosecution witness Mazher Mahmood had lied to Southwark Crown 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. Mr Mahmood had claimed that Ms Contostavlos, 26, 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 Sun journalist Mr Mahmood has been "suspended pending an internal investigation" the newspaper said.
Ms Contostavlos, the former N-Dubz singer and X Factor judge, had denied the allegations against her.
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. Explaining his decision Judge McCreath said: "Where there has been some aspect of the investigation or prosecution of a crime which is tainted in some way by serious misconduct to the point that the integrity of the court would be compromised by allowing the trial to go ahead, in that sense the court would be seen to be sanctioning or colluding in that sort of behaviour, then the court has no alternative but to say 'This case must go no further'."
He claimed the singer said she could procure cocaine for him when he offered her a lead role in a film. The court heard that undercover reporter Mr Mahmood, known as the "fake sheikh", had posed as a film producer when he met Ms Contostavlos at several luxury hotels and restaurants.
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. He claimed the singer said vowed to 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 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".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'Fake Sheikh' suspended
Ms Contostavlos vehemently denied brokering the deal, which was exposed in the Sun on Sunday newspaper in June 2013. Ms Contostavlos, who is from Friern Barnet, north London, vehemently denied brokering the deal, which was reported in The Sun on Sunday in June 2013.
Following the dismissal of the case, Ms Contostavlos urged police to investigate Mr Mahmood and "put an end to his deceits". Following the dismissal of the case, she urged police to investigate the reporter.
The Sun also issued a statement which said Mr Mahmood had been "suspended pending an immediate internal investigation". Outside court she said: "I have never dealt drugs and never been involved in taking or dealing cocaine.
"Mahmood has now been exposed by my lawyers openly lying to the judge and jury. These lies were told to stop crucial evidence going before the jury."
The singer said the evidence related to her telling Mr Mahmood's driver that she disapproved of drugs, but she claims the "driver was pressured to change his statement to strengthen Mahmood's evidence and to damage mine".
She also claimed she was "tricked" into believing she was auditioning for a movie and was encouraged to "act the part of a bad, rough, ghetto girl".
She said: "They recorded this and produced it as evidence when I thought it was an audition. It was a terrible thing to do.
"Thankfully, the lies have been uncovered and justice has been done."
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. Mr Coombs also walked free after the judge informed him the case against him could not proceed.
Mr Coombs will also walk free after the judge said the case could not proceed against him.