'Fake Sheikh' jailed for 15 months for tampering with evidence in Tulisa trial

'Fake Sheikh' Mazher Mahmood found guilty of perverting the course of justice, London, UK - 05 Oct 2016 — REX/Shutterstock (Image credit: REX/Shutterstock)

Mazher Mahmood has been sentence to 15 months in jail after being found guilty of tampering with evidence in the Tulisa Contostavlos drugs trial

Fake Sheikh Mazher Mahmood has been jailed for tampering with evidence in the collapsed drugs trial of pop star Tulisa Contostavlos.

Following a two-week trial at the Old Bailey, a jury found the 53-year-old 'King of the Sting' and his driver Alan Smith, 67, guilty of plotting to pervert the course of justice.

Judge Gerald Gordon jailed Mazher for 15 months, saying that while he accepted he had done 'some good work' in his long career, there could be no justification for what he had done and custody was inevitable.

The Fake Sheikh leaves the Old Bailey earlier in the trial. — *The Fake Sheikh leaves the Old Bailey earlier in the trial (Hannah McKay/PA)*

He handed Smith 12 months suspended for two years, saying he had been motivated in part by 'misguided loyalty'.

As Mazher was jailed, someone in the public gallery shouted 'your turn now Mazher' to the journalist, who claims to have helped in the convictions of 100 criminals during his 25 years of investigative reporting.

Following the guilty verdicts last month, it was announced that 18 civil claims were being launched against Mazher, which could total some £800 million.

Mazher was involved in Tulisa's collapsed drugs trial. — *Mazher was involved in Tulisa’s collapsed drugs trial (Anthony Devlin/PA)*

The Crown Prosecution Service has already dropped a number of live cases and reviewed 25 past convictions.

Six of those involving mainly high-profile individuals have been taken up by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

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