Tulisa trial collapses: Fake Sheikh Mazher Mahmood 'tried to persuade singer to have sex with him in return for film role'
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Version 0 of 1. Mazher Mahmood, otherwise known as the ‘Fake Sheikh’, tried to persuade Tulisa Contostavlos to have sex with him in exchange for a £3.5million film part, court documents claim. Tulisa was charged with helping to supply the undercover The Sun on Sunday reporter, who was posing as Bollywood producer Samir Khan, with £820 worth of cocaine. However, the trial collapsed on Monday (21 July) because Judge Alistair McCreath believed there were “strong grounds” to believe that Mahmood had “lied” at a pre-trial hearing. In the court documents, which were originally submitted at a pre-trial hearing and can now be reported, Tulisa’s barrister Jeremy Dein QC claimed that Mahmood and his team had used unethical tactics to entrap the singer, including “sex for payment”. Tulisa and her small entourage, which included her PA Gareth Varey, met with the undercover reporters on 10 May 2013 at the Metropolitan Hotel in London for six hours, during which they drank heavily. The meeting included Samir[Mahmood] and Nish[Mahmood’s colleague], who were playing the role of filmmakers. The document states: “Throughout the evening, Samir and his teams were plying TC and her companions with alcohol, in particular Mojitos and Platinum tequila shots. “Samir commented on the expensive drinks he was ordering, but encouraged TC and her party to drink. “He and his associate were, unbeknownst to TC, not in fact consuming alcohol; all the while they were cajoling and persuading [their] victims to drink so much they became intoxicated. “As a consequence of drink, the events of the evening have become blurred for TC. “She recalls parts, but not all. Her recollection as to detail is inevitably impaired. “There was discussion of a very wide range of topics. At one stage, TC referred to her problems with depression and the assistance she had in falling asleep from occasional use of ‘weed’. “Thereafter, Samir referred repeatedly to weed, and encouraged discussion of it.” It continues: “In the thick of these events, TC was accompanied to the lavatory by Nish. There, Nish told TC that she could expect a fee of £3.5m for her part in the film. “Nish pretended that she really wanted TC to get the part and commented that TC needed to show she was suitable for the role. “Nish said words to the effect that TC should remember her past. “This was highly manipulative conduct designed to lure TC into further drug-related talk and activity, while creating an enormous financial incentive for her to do so. Former N-Dubz singer Tulisa Contostavlos gives a statement outside Southwark Crown Court after her trial “TC responded to Samir’s luring and ‘egging on’ by talking further about cocaine, believing that this was what Samir wanted to hear, she hoped to increase her prospect of securing the part by doing so, and believed she could. “TC’s talk of involvement and connection with cocaine was similarly made up by her, but well received by Samir. “This was done to please the film-makers, to increase her prospects, not because it was true. “In addition, TC recalls that Samir diverted the conversation to celebrity prostitution, with reference to someone known to Samir. “TC understood Samir to be hinting at sex with TC for payment. “There was a stage of events when Nish attempted to ‘prise’ GV away from the party, suggesting that it would be best if the businessman were left with TC and [friend] Michelle who, by now, was extremely drunk. “GV was fearful for TC’s safety if left alone with Samir and he resisted the suggestion.’ The document claims that Mahmood started talking about “liking white girls” before “‘Nish eventually suggested that TC go to Samir’s bedroom alone”. “Again, TC perceived that sex for payment was being suggested. She declined the offer.” The group went up to Mahmood’s hotel room together, the document alleges. “Whilst there, in the bedroom, Michelle appeared to lose consciousness on the bathroom floor. “TC has concluded, in view of the extreme and unpleasant reaction she, GV and Michelle experience, that the drinks of all three of them must have been spiked. Mazher Mahmood's article was given the splash treatment by The Sun on Sunday “As a consequence of the alcohol drunk, GV did not wake up until 3.30pm, next day. “He had blacked out, something he would not usually do. When GV woke up he was fully clothed, lying on the floor in his bedroom.” The court papers go on to claim that Tulisa had no prior knowledge of the drug deal that took place between Mike GLC (Michael Coombs or MC) or of when it was alleged to have taken place. Coombs pleaded guilty to supplying the Class A drug last week, but his charges were also dropped. “As far as TC was aware, MC was not a drug dealer,” it read. The document was concluded with the claim that Mahmood has a “suspect, tainted and chequered history". “Moreover, from start to finish, evidence has been gathered in a background of lies, deceit, manipulation and falsity,”QC Dein said. Details of the pre-trial hearing were initially held back because Judge McCreath felt that its publication might prejudice the jury. Mazhir Mahmood has since been suspended by The Sun on Sunday pending an internal investigation. Tulisa is set to discuss the 'Fake Sheikh' drugs sing in a forthcoming BBC3 documentary. |