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Tulisa Contostavlos The Sun

Hacked Off says the Sun's Tulisa drugs sting highlights continuing newspaper malpractice post-Leveson

By Angela Haggerty, Reporter

July 21, 2014 | 3 min read

Press reform campaign group Hacked Off has described the collapse of former N-Dubz singer and X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos’ ‘cocaine sting’ trial as evidence of continuing "newspaper malpractice".

'Justice has been done': Tulisa Contostavlos

A statement from the group said Contostavlos had the legal access and “guts to stand up to intrusion and entrapment”, but said ordinary members of the public would have little ability to fight in similar circumstances without the implementation of government press regulation legislation.

The trial of Contostavlos over allegations she had helped supply an undercover Sun reporter, Mazher Mahmood, with cocaine collapsed earlier today after it emerged he had altered a witness statement after discussing it with his driver.

The former N-Dubz singer claimed she had been set up by the paper and got involved because she thought it would secure her a role in a blockbuster movie. The Drum understands that Mahmood may now face perjury charges.

Hacked Off said: “What has happened in this case explodes the self-serving myth propagated by some in the press industry that, when the News of the World closed, newspaper malpractice was ended.

"The suggestion that the worst elements of the press cleaned up their act during or after the Leveson Inquiry has now been shown repeatedly to be unsustainable.

"Tulisa Contostavlos is a well-known celebrity with access to good lawyers and the guts to stand up to intrusion and entrapment, but without the Royal Charter what hope is there for ordinary victims of the worst elements of the press.”

Speaking outside Southwark Crown Court, Contostavlos said she had been “tricked” into believing the alleged drug deal was an audition for a film and she had been encouraged to “act the part of a bad, rough, ghetto girl”.

“They recorded this and produced it as evidence when I thought it was an audition,” she said. “It was a terrible thing to do. Thankfully, the lies have been uncovered and justice has been done.”

Last week, Hacked Off executive director Joan Smith told The Drum that the group’s campaign for regulation of the press would continue and said pressuring advertisers to pull advertising from non-compliant newspapers may be an option.

Tulisa Contostavlos The Sun

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