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| Fake Sheikh Mazher Mahmood: 25 criminal convictions linked to undercover reporter to be re-examined after collapse of Tulisa trial | Fake Sheikh Mazher Mahmood: 25 criminal convictions linked to undercover reporter to be re-examined after collapse of Tulisa trial |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Convictions in 25 criminal cases where evidence was given by undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood are being re-examined, the Crown Prosecution Service has said. | Convictions in 25 criminal cases where evidence was given by undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood are being re-examined, the Crown Prosecution Service has said. |
| The CPS said it had identified current and past cases where the "Fake Sheikh" was a prosecution witness following the collapse of the trial of pop singer and former X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos. | The CPS said it had identified current and past cases where the "Fake Sheikh" was a prosecution witness following the collapse of the trial of pop singer and former X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos. |
| It said while past cases which resulted in a conviction were now being "considered", it had also offered no evidence in three live cases where the undercover journalist was a prosecution witness. | |
| A CPS spokesman said: "We are now considering past cases which resulted in a conviction in criminal courts in England and Wales based on evidence provided by Mr Mahmood, and have identified 25 cases. | A CPS spokesman said: "We are now considering past cases which resulted in a conviction in criminal courts in England and Wales based on evidence provided by Mr Mahmood, and have identified 25 cases. |
| "As part of this process, over the coming weeks, CPS Areas will be contacting representatives of the defendants - or defendants themselves as necessary - convicted in these cases in order to provide them with a disclosure pack - details of material which they may consider undermines the conviction in a specific case." | "As part of this process, over the coming weeks, CPS Areas will be contacting representatives of the defendants - or defendants themselves as necessary - convicted in these cases in order to provide them with a disclosure pack - details of material which they may consider undermines the conviction in a specific case." |
| Mr Mahmood, a former News of the World reporter, was suspended by the Sun on Sunday following the collapse of Ms Contostavlos's trial in July. | |
| Tulisa Contostavlos during her abandoned drugs trial in July | Tulisa Contostavlos during her abandoned drugs trial in July |
| The former N-Dubz star went on trial after allegedly boasting that she could "sort out" cocaine for Mr Mahmood and put the reporter in touch with her rapper friend Mike GLC - real name Michael Coombs. | The former N-Dubz star went on trial after allegedly boasting that she could "sort out" cocaine for Mr Mahmood and put the reporter in touch with her rapper friend Mike GLC - real name Michael Coombs. |
| But both were cleared after Judge Alistair McCreath said there were "strong grounds" to believe Mr Mahmood lied in the witness box and "had been manipulating the evidence". | |
| The CPS spokesman said today: "Following the halting of the trial of Ms Contostavlos and Mr Coombs, we took steps to identify current and past cases involving Mr Mahmood as a prosecution witness. | The CPS spokesman said today: "Following the halting of the trial of Ms Contostavlos and Mr Coombs, we took steps to identify current and past cases involving Mr Mahmood as a prosecution witness. |
| "We made it our immediate priority to carefully look into live prosecutions in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and any past cases which involved a defendant still in custody. | "We made it our immediate priority to carefully look into live prosecutions in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and any past cases which involved a defendant still in custody. |
| "There were no concluded cases where a defendant was still in custody, but we identified three live cases. Each case was looked at individually and no evidence was offered as we concluded that there was no longer a realistic prospect of a conviction." | "There were no concluded cases where a defendant was still in custody, but we identified three live cases. Each case was looked at individually and no evidence was offered as we concluded that there was no longer a realistic prospect of a conviction." |
| Additional reporting by PA | Additional reporting by PA |