Gazette Podcast, Sun journalist Mazher Mahmood found guilty of perverting course of justice in Tulisa drugs trial, Mazher Mahmood did 'absolutely the right thing' over Tulisa drugs trial statement, court told, Sun's Mazher Mahmood takes stand in Tulisa drug trial: 'My motive was to expose criminality', GB News briefing: Latest appointments news as channel gears up for launch, Misleading headlines removed from ITV version of Meghan interview but CBS remains silent, Libel bill for couple who spoke to Daily Mail about inheritance row with red and white stripes property developer, Boris Johnson says 'cowardly' abuse of journalists must end as Govt publishes action plan, Bigoted UK press? "[15], Galloway wrote to Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police commissioner and Michael Martin, the Speaker of the House of Commons about the incident. A list of BBC episodes and clips related to "Mazher Mahmood". In 1984, while trying with fellow journalist Roger Insall to expose a vice-ring at the Metropole Hotel at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, according to Mahmood, he first used the sheikh disguise when inviting prostitutes to a hotel room. [35] Higgins subsequently issued a statement denying he had ever been involved in match fixing, and said of the meeting, "I didn't know if this was the Russian mafia or who we were dealing with. even though they showed no respect for the privacy of others in their quest for tabloid trash stories. [7], Mahmood first gained employment as a journalist at the age of 18, exposing family friends who sold pirate videos. Twenty-five criminal convictions linked to undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood are being re-examined, the CPS has said. [3] He won Reporter of the Year in 2011, as well as Scoop of the Year and the Sports Journalists' Association award, for an investigation of cricket match-fixing. I’m quite sure too that you’re aware of the long-standing commercial relationships between persons suspected of my brother’s murder and the persons involved in setting up the surveillance as named above as well as three other senior NI executives: Andy Coulson, Alex Marunchak and Mazher Mahmood. In a statement released today Varey said he did not know why he made the comment to undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood, which he conceded was "not true", but … [28], In his letter to the Speaker's office, Galloway also claimed that Mahmood had in the past deceived Diane Abbott and had sought a meeting with Jeremy Corbyn, both also prominent anti-war MPs. [46][47], In 2004, Mahmood led an investigation into exposing the creation of a dirty bomb, through the supply of the fictitious substance red mercury, to three men from a supposed terrorist group. The gun supplier of Mazher Mahmood’s failed Victoria Beckham kidnap plot was NEVER contacted by Scotland Yard investigating Mahmood in Operation Canopus in 2005 – despite the five defendants spending up to eight months on remand before being released after the case collapsed when it was discovered News of the World had paid the key prosecution witness Florim Gashi £10,000. Fake Sheikh Mazher Mahmood is facing jail and a string of multimillion-pound lawsuits after being found guilty of tampering with evidence in the collapsed drugs trial of pop star Tulisa Contostavlos. Jeremy Dein QC, for the defence, accused Mahmood of active duplicity in some stories. [11], Mahmood won Reporter of the Year again in 2011, as well as Scoop of the Year, for an investigation of cricket match-fixing. The trial judge observed that "entrapment had clearly played a significant part in what he did, but greed had also been a major factor. Mahmood had posed as a film producer, offering Contostavlos a £3.5-million deal to star in a Bollywood/Hollywood film about a girl from the ghetto trying to become an R&B star. Mahmood was the subject of BBC television Panorama investigation. The programme also included unseen footage of Mahmood rehearsing with a known drug dealer for the entrapment of former Page 3 model Emma Morgan. The paper issued an apology and paid libel costs. [39][40], Mahmood reported the revelations that actor John Alford was supplying cocaine, for which he was imprisoned. On 21 July 2014 the trial of the R&B singer-songwriter and former X-Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos, brought about by a Mahmood drugs sting operation, collapsed. "[25] Mahmood himself denied the use of antisemitic comments. Mahmood had arrived and left court with a hood over his face. [59], Investigation and conviction for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch, "Leveson Inquiry: Tabloid journalists defend paper", "Fake Sheikh's editor fails to find evidence for his grand claim to Leveson", "R v JOHN JAMES SHANNON (AKA JOHN JAMES ALFORD) (2000)", "Secrets of the fake sheik Mazher Mahmood", "Exposé backfires on 'fake sheik' of tabloids", "The real reason that Mazher Mahmood left the Sunday Times under a cloud", "Tulisa Contostavlos trial collapses over Mazher Mahmood's evidence", "Obsolete: The fake Sheikh exposed: Mazher Mahmood and the Dirty Digger foiled by Galloway", "Palace denies reports of Sophie insults", "Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson plots to sell access to Prince Andrew", "Galloway threatens to expose 'fake sheikh, "Galloway circulates pictures of 'fake sheikh, "Galloway calls in police over fake sheik sting", "Paper drops appeal to keep anonymity of undercover reporter", "The Yeo Resignation: Local party ousts Yeo: Whips blame MP for failing to reconcile constituency to his problems after fathering child in an affair", "The award-winning 'fake sheikh' who terrifies the rich and famous", "Fashanu denies new match-fixing story after investigator claims latest sting", "Sven-Goran Eriksson plans to sue over 'Fake Sheikh' sting that 'cost biggest job of my life, "Snooker champion John Higgins in 'bribe' allegation", "John Higgins: 'My conscience is 100% clear' after bribery allegations", "John Higgins suspended in snooker bribe probe", "What the judge said in collapsing the Tulisa trial", "Mazher Mahmood could face perjury investigation after Tulisa trial collapse", "Tulisa Contostavlos drugs trial collapse - CPS to investigate Fake Sheikh's credibility as witness", "Delayed Panorama exposé of 'fake sheikh' to go on air tonight", "Fake Sheikh Mazher Mahmood: Lord Goldsmith calls for review of convictions as undercover reporter is exposed", "Mazher Mahmood: 'Fake Sheikh' jailed for 15 months", "Winners honoured at British Muslim Awards", Mazher Mahmood collected news and commentary, We catch 2 bus loads of Illegal Immigrants, Obsolete ordered to remove photo of Mahzer Mahmood by court injunction, courtesy of Farrer & Co, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mazher_Mahmood&oldid=1000244497, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2019, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from August 2020, All Wikipedia articles in need of updating, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2020, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Undercover exposés in character as 'The Fake Sheikh', Conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, This page was last edited on 14 January 2021, at 08:38. By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Mazher Mahmood, one of Britain's best known undercover reporters renowned for his "fake sheikh" sting operations, was facing jail on Wednesday after being convicted of plotting to alter evidence in a high-profile court case where he was the main witness. At the beginning of his second appearance before the inquiry, Mahmood was asked about his departure … Fashanu offered to fix matches for Mahmood and took a cash deposit. [33] This was later denied by both parties, with Eriksson explaining that there was a prior arrangement to terminate his contract immediately after the World Cup. It follows the collapse of … The common thread that links them is Murdoch, the reverse alchemist. What Majeed doesn’t know is that Khan’s real name is Mazher Mahmood and that he is an undercover investigative reporter for the News of the World. [15][17], Mahmood discussed criticisms of his methods in televised interview in 2008 with the BBC's Emily Maitlis on The Andrew Marr Show. [50] On 21 October 2016, Mahmood was jailed for 15 months after being found guilty of evidence tampering.[6]. Mazher Mahmood (born 22 March 1963) is an undercover British journalist who was convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. The Fake Sheikh Exposed, broadcast on 12 November 2014, was presented by John Sweeney and produced by Meirion Jones and Owen Phillips. Sarah Ferguson claims £45m in damages from Murdoch’s News Group. A list of Profile episodes and clips related to "Mazher Mahmood". [citation needed], Mahmood's methods have often been criticised. Eriksson, however, asked him to take over Aston Villa FC, and said that he intended to leave England after the World Cup to become Aston Villa manager, and that he would approach David Beckham from Real Madrid to become captain. … Mahmood – famous for his exposes on such personalities as Sarah Ferguson, Jerry Springer and Sven Goran Eriksson – is known to the world as the Fake Sheikh. [55] on 20 November 2015. Mazher Mahmood, the News of the World's former star undercover reporter, hired "bodyguards" from the firm of a disgraced private investigator when his … After taking legal advice on whether criminal charges could be made, Lord Goldsmith stated: "I have explored every possible avenue for dealing with this, what I saw was a very unsatisfactory state of affairs, and each avenue had turned out to be a blank". Victims of 'Fake sheikh' Mazher Mahmood packed out the public gallery to see him jailed for tampering with evidence in the Tulisa drugs trial. [14], In September 2008, he wrote a book entitled Confessions of a Fake Sheik – The King of the Sting Reveals All. [56] Following a trial at the Old Bailey, Mahmood and Smith were found guilty of conspiring and intending to pervert the course of justice. Mazher Mahmood’s chances of resurrecting his undercover journalism career were dealt a further blow with the release of his police custody photo last night. Before his conviction, he worked mainly for the tabloid press. "[36] Mooney also said "we were genuinely in fear for our safety". [8], Mahmood then worked for the Sunday Times, which he joined in 1989. Fashanu claimed that he knew about the sting all along and was only appearing to be corrupt so as to gather evidence for the police. On video, Higgins and Mooney discussed how to throw frames. A managing editor at that time, Roy Greenslade, later alleged that Mahmood was dismissed for trying to cover up a mistake. [23][24] The News of the World admitted their journalist had been present, but asserted that he had been involved in "wholly legitimate inquiries. [57] On 21 October 2016, Mahmoud was sentenced to 15 months and Smith received a suspended sentence of 12 months. [17] One of the men involved later sued the News of the World for libel and won. Your email address will not be published. To support this position, he called a former Mahmood associate, Florim Gashi, who told the court he helped the reporter "make up stories for his newspaper".[13]. I … In a statement, Mr Varey said: “On 10 May 2013 in the course of seeking to entrap Tulisa, Mazher Mahmood supplied Tulisa, me and others with a lot of alcohol… [15] He is reputed to be accompanied on occasions by a bodyguard, said to be his second cousin Mahmood Qureshi, who has posed as businessman Pervaiz Khan. Fake heiress Anna Sorokin released from … Sunday Times journalist Mazher Mahmood, a former reporter at the News of the World who became known as the 'fake sheikh', told the Leveson inquiry today that allegations he tried to bribe a member of staff at the Sunday Times in 1988 to alter news agency are "completely untrue". [5][6], Mazher Mahmood was born in Small Heath, Birmingham, on 22 March 1963, the second of two sons of Sultan and Shamim Mahmood, journalists from Pakistan who had come to Britain three years earlier. Mahmood was also accused of lying in court about his involvement in changing the statement. At that stage I felt the best course of action was just to play along with these guys and get out of Russia. On 23 January, the Football Association announced that Eriksson would leave his job after the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and it was thought that the News of the World allegations played a part in this decision. Mooney resigned from his post as director of the WPBSA and was later banned from snooker management for life, following an investigation and judgement, which also resulted in John Higgins being given a ban and large fine. ... they have released details of … [citation needed], In January 2013, Mahmood was nominated for the Services to Media award at the British Muslim Awards. In addition to Greenslade's criticisms, politician George Galloway also sought to challenge him,[8][17] while some lawyers have complained that Mahmood has sometimes broken the law without clear public interest justification. We will always take action where statements or other evidence has been tampered with.”. And yesterday the Met published a custody photo which has been widely reproduced across the media. [37], Mahmood's name came under the limelight once again when, in August 2010, he posed as an Indian businessman to expose the cricket bookie Mazhar Majeed who claimed Pakistani cricketers Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal had committed spot-fixing during Pakistan's 2010 tour of England; the team was accused of deliberately bowling three no-balls, in an incident that veteran Richie Benaud described as the most distressing revelation in his 52 years of watching cricket. Alford claimed entrapment and demanded Mahmood's arrest. First published on Fri 21 Oct 2016 06.33 EDT Undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood has been jailed for 15 months after being found guiltyof tampering … Judge Alistair McCreath told Southwark Crown Court that he thought the prosecution witness Mazher Mahmood had lied in giving evidence. [24][27] The News of the World lost a High Court action to prevent publication of photographs of Mahmood. [21] Galloway said he had put off the meeting for several weeks and was suspicious from the beginning. 'Fake Sheikh' Mazher Mahmood faces £800m lawsuit over Tulisa coke case THE so-called 'king of the string' was found guilty of perverting the course of justice after a … [citation needed] He also won the Sports Journalists' Association award in 2011 for the same story. [16] Conrad Brown, the son of former NoW reporter Gerry Brown, operated the concealed video cameras and microphones. Press Gazette's weekly email providing strategic insight into the future of the media. Mahmood’s own paper, The Sun, published a photo of him today with his face clearly visible apparently taken by a freelance outside court. Mahmood became known popularly as the "fake sheikh" because he often posed as a sheikh during the course of his investigations. He also released photographs of Mahmood on the internet, distributed the images to other MPs and the royal family,[26] and revealed other aspects of Mahmood's activities. "[53], The programme also revisited the collapse of the Victoria Beckham kidnap plot, re-interviewing witness Florim Gashi, who worked with Mazher Mahmood on several occasions and who was on the payroll of the News of the World. [11] Despite these efforts, several news organisations have published photos of him, including BBC News,[12] the Guardian[13] and the Norwegian tabloid Dagbladet. By Joe Public Sun on Sunday reporter Mazher Mahmood released a statement yesterday attacking BBC for being “irresponsible” and “not in public interest” who are “hell bent” to broadcast Panorama exposing his career as a fake sheikh entrapping targets before shopping them to police. [32], In January 2006, Mahmood met England head coach Sven-Göran Eriksson, posing as a businessman interested in opening a sports academy. [6][58], Mahmood has won various newspaper awards, including British Press Awards "Reporter of the Year" 1999 for his exposé of Newcastle United directors. Explaining that "it is not enough to just have integrity in such a position, you must also be seen to have integrity", he explained further that "this was not possible given the manner in which this allegation has been reported". Met Police officer in the case, Detective Constable Jim Morrison, said: “This case is a reminder that perverting the course of justice is a very serious offence that goes to heart of our justice system. [52] The programme included allegations that Mahmood's methods included payments to third parties who procured the drugs that his targets would later be exposed as supplying, and that he made offers of scarcely believable career opportunities to targets with no recent history of drug misuse, who were then pressured to obtain him cocaine. Mahmood was registered as an informant for the Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch during the story, which led to a criminal case prosecution by the Crown Prosecution Service. [4], In July 2014, Mahmood was suspended from the Sun on Sunday after a trial collapsed against former X Factor judge and singer Tulisa, with concerns voiced by a judge that Mahmood might have perjured himself. Groups call for release of Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud Hussein. During his trial, Alford said in his defence that he was set up, and complained that Mahmood was not punished for this. Duchess of York reportedly blames Mazher Mahmood sting for loss of business opportunities Published: 21 Jan 2018 . [citation needed], On 4 December 2014, the Crown Prosecution Service investigated 25 cases where Mahmood gave evidence. 'Fake Sheikh' Mazher Mahmood and driver found guilty at Old Bailey. [2], Mahmood maintains high levels of secrecy, and said he rarely visited the News International offices. Undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood is seen in this undated photograph released to Reuters by the Metropolitan Police in London on October 5, 2016. The court heard that Mahmood and Smith conspired to change a statement in the Tulisa Contostavlos drugs trial which cast her in a favourable light. Mazher Mahmood, the undercover reporter also known as the "Fake Sheikh" has been jailed for 15 months after been found guilty of conspiring to pervert the course of justice. Smith was given a 12-month suspended sentence. He was released after six weeks after agreeing to electronic tagging. Later, from its foundation in 2012, he worked for the Sun on Sunday, successor to the News of the World. The pair appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court. [51] The programme aired despite legal efforts by Mahmood to prevent recent pictures of himself being shown, and a request from the Attorney General to stop the broadcast. In November 2014 he failed to get an injunction against the BBC stopping it publishing grainy undercover footage of him driving. Gashi claimed Mazher Mahmood was complicit with him in inventing the kidnapping plot. [2], In addition to his "Fake Sheikh" persona, Mahmood has used the identity of businessman Sam Fernando. [54] On 29 September 2015, it announced that Mahmood and his former driver Alan Smith had been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. In 1999 he was convicted of supplying drugs to the News of the World undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood, and subsequently imprisoned for nine months. Mahmood, 53, and Alan Smith, 67, were both found guilty of perverting the course of justice after a two-week long trial at the Old Bailey. Mahmood reminds me of Rebecca Brooks and Andy Coulson. Judge Gerald Gordon said Mahmood would serve half his sentence before being released on licence. [43], In 2003, Mahmood was responsible for reporting an alleged plot to kidnap Victoria Beckham to the police. The offences concern evidence given in the trial of R&B singer-songwriter Tulisa Contostavlos. Management for music producer Simon Cowell have released a statement refuting claims made during N Dubz Tulisa’s trial, that he is gay. [49], After Mahmood was charged, the Crown Prosecution Service announced its intention to review more than 30 criminal trials in which he had given evidence. [11], In 1999, after a Mahmood investigation exposed the Earl of Hardwicke and another man as drug dealers,[42] the jury sent a note to the judge explaining that they had reached their decision to convict the two men with great reluctance. Press Former … The record of undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood - the Fake Sheikh - needs to be re-examined, an ex-attorney general has told Panorama. They also wanted their privacy respected, seemingly without irony. When featured in images that accompany his stories, he has been represented with a silhouette next to his byline. Mahmood went to extreme lengths to entrap Contostavlos. [30], Mahmood won the "Reporter of the Year" award in 1999 for his exposé of Newcastle United bosses Freddy Shepherd and Douglas Hall, who mocked fans and branded Geordie women "dogs" after taking Mahmood, posing as the sheikh, to a brothel in Marbella. Mahmood, whose elaborate disguises have duped criminals, celebrities, sporting figures and even … Explaining his decision to halt the trial, Judge McCreath said: The Sun on Sunday announced that Mahmood had been suspended. Required fields are marked *. Of the men, he wrote on his website that "neither of the two looked at all like an Islamist (which is what they later claimed to be); neither had a beard". This gained him two weeks' work at the News of the World, after which he started freelancing at the Sunday People. The journalist Mazher Mahmood has been sentenced to 15 months in jail after being convicted of tampering with evidence in the collapsed trial of the singer Tulisa Contostavlos. The MP, who claimed the journalist posed as a Muslim businessman and made anti-Semitic comments, released a photograph of Mahmood in an attempt to blow his disguise. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Mazher Mahmood (born 22 March 1963) is an undercover British journalist who was convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. 'Fake Sheikh' Mazher Mahmood is facing jail for tampering with evidence in the collapsed drugs trial of popstar Tulisa Contostavlos. [7][9][10] Mahmood has consistently disputed Greenslade's version of events. However, the men were later found not guilty following a trial at the Old Bailey, with the judge criticising the News of the World for not checking the credibility of the story. People have a right to see pure sport – that's what I want snooker to be." His journalism has previously led him to expose gangsters and criminals. The collapse of the case was so troubling to the presiding judge that it was referred to the then Attorney General Lord Goldsmith who stated, "If a trial collapses, and it collapses because of the alleged wrong doing of a witness, that's a real issue for me". [22], Galloway said that Mahmood tried but failed to implicate him in illegal party funding, and to agree with antisemitic statements. Arrest of Mahmoud Hussein extends a long line of press freedom violations by Egypt, media freedom activists say. [citation needed] In 2016 Eriksson was reported to be suing Mahmood for having cost him his job. They said that they would have acquitted the defendants if the law had enabled them to take into account Mahmood's "extreme provocation" of them to sell him cocaine. Guardian and FT editors call for reflection in industry, Independent and Huffington Post fall for 'parody' Le Pen tweet praising Theresa May speech. Even the Godfather (Murdoch) would not protect his identity. The judge agreed and passed suspended sentences. [31], Footballer John Fashanu was exposed for alleged match-fixing. Mazher Mahmood’s chances of resurrecting his undercover journalism career were dealt a further blow with the release of his police custody photo … [25] Media commentator Roy Greenslade accused Mahmood and the News of the World, in its use of "subterfuge", of adopting practices which "debase journalism. M azher Mahmood, the undercover reporter known as the Fake Sheikh, has been jailed for 15 months for tampering with evidence in the collapsed drugs trial … He spent 20 years working for the News of the World and the Sunday Times,[1] during which time he was responsible for numerous investigations,[2] including a reputed 94 that led to convictions. Sentencing Mahmood, the judge said: “It … Your email address will not be published. [17], Mahmood's targets include various society figures, including Sophie, Countess of Wessex, in 2001,[18] Princess Michael of Kent in 2005,[19] and Sarah, Duchess of York, in 2010.
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