The Fake Sheikh gets his comeuppance. Finally.
A former undercover journalist known as the “Fake Sheikh” is facing jail after being found guilty of tampering with evidence in a drugs trial.
Mazher Mahmood, 53, was convicted at the Old Bailey alongside his driver, Alan Smith, 67, in relation to a case involving pop star Tulisa Contostavlos.
They were both found guilty of plotting to pervert the course of justice by conspiring to suppress evidence at the former N-Dubz singer’s trial. Ms Contostavlos had been accused of supplying cocaine but the case, which came about after a story published inThe Sun on Sunday, was thrown out of Southwark Crown Court in July 2014.
This vile piece of shit is well overdue for a fall. He spent his professional life ruining people’s lives, indulging in stings and entrapments, in order to sell grubby tabloid newspapers. This was never in the public interest and the criminal activities only happened because he set them up. This creature should be cast into gaol and the keys thrown away.
Since the trial collapsed, a number of criminal cases – in which Mahmood was due to appear as a witness – have been dropped and some convictions are being reviewed.
Again, it is appalling that the CPS even considered prosecutions based upon these stings. I hope the convictions are not only overturned, but the victims sue this scum for every penny.
Entrapment is wrong. The people who do it are scum. But then, most journalists are scum, so er…
You’ve said it all: nothing to add except my whole-hearted endorsement.
I saw in one article that News Corp could be on the hook for £800 million over this. Warms the cockles of my heart that does!
Indeed. Me too. However I want to see Mahmood sued to penury as well. It’s what he deserves.
Mahmood eh? French?
No.
However, the ‘victims’ were venal and went along with dubious, criminal or immoral behaviour. If they had moral fibre they would not have been jailed because they would not have resorted to criminal behaviour. They are as much at fault as this idiot fake sheikh. No sympathy for those who give way to temptation.
In part, I would agree with you. However, the acts would never have taken place without Mahmood initiating them.
These sting operations can be justified under certain circumstances.
Firstly, the newspaper must have reasonable grounds for suspicion that the subject is doing something wrong. It can’t just be a fishing expedition.
Secondly, the alleged wrongdoing must be sufficiently serious that there is a public interest in exposing it even if it can only be done through deception.
Thirdly, the undercover investigator must not incite the subject to do anything illegal or immoral. He must create a scenario in which a dishonest person would see an opportunity for illicit gain and then passively wait to see how the subject reacts to it. The reaction must be spontaneous and not provoked or guided in any way.
It is not necessary for the investigator to prove that the subject knows that he or she is doing something wrong, only that the subject is doing it. For example, a bribe is still a bribe even if the subject has convinced himself that it’s a legitimate perk of the job.
The question is whether any of Mahmood’s operations meet these criteria. If not, they were just cynical media stitch-ups.