The News of the World investigations editor told the court today how his long experience dealing with criminals, including occasions when he "bought Kalashnikovs and kilos of heroin", had convinced him that a plot to kidnap Victoria Beckham was genuine
Giving evidence on the fourth day of a libel trial at the High Court, Mazher Mahmood told how his job as an undercover investigator had made him well-versed in the behaviour of criminals.
The libel action has been brought by one of the members of an alleged gang of criminals, who is suing the News of the World over a story it published in November 2002 claiming they were plotting to kidnap the former Spice Girl and ransom her for £5m.
A subsequent trial in June 2003 collapsed when the News of the World informant, Florim Gashi, was deemed to be an unreliable witness. But the paper is standing by its story and has defended its allegations as "true or at least substantially true".
Mahmood rejected suggestions from the claimant's advocate, David Price, that the alleged gang members had only been caught on tape discussing the kidnap because the topic had been brought up by Gashi.
He said it was "absolute nonsense" to suggest that they were talking in this way in order to do Gashi a favour.
"I understand the line you are taking," said Mahmood when questioned by Price.
"But it's so completely implausible," he said responding to the suggestion that the alleged gang had been prompted to discuss a kidnapping plot. And he said the suggestion that they were trying to pacify Gashi because they owed him a favour was nonsense.
He said that the gang were "not stupid people", pointing out that one of them was a qualified doctor.
"These were very real crimes. We know that they have stolen a turban from Sotheby's, that was not fictitious, there were no favours for Gashi there, they made fake documents for me, there were no favours there. They have drugs, they have firearms, no favours there. It's ludicrous... I've never heard such a defence in my life, I've been in a few court cases but that really takes the biscuit."
'To steal from Sothebys is not a task for anyone'
He added: "They were serious criminals...to steal from Sotheby's is not a task for any Tom, Dick or Harry. Your average criminal would not be able to do that."
Mahmood rejected Mr Price's suggestion that the alleged gang members, when caught on covertly filmed video tapes, had behaved like "idiots".
"My view is after 20 years of investigative journalism that was not apparent to me and it's still not apparent now. What you are saying seems so implausible.
The court was shown a tape of one of the alleged gang members, Adrian Pasareanu, brandishing a gun in front of an undercover reporter.
Mr Price suggested that "real criminals do not go around waving guns at relative strangers."
Mahmood rejected this: "I've never met anyone apart from these guys who wanted to kidnap Victoria Beckham so I don't know how they behave. But no alarm bells rang there." He said that their behaviour was the reason they had been caught.
"We infiltrated them. If they had been really, really sharp, certainly this chap [Pasareanu], they would not have been caught."
Mr Price suggested that real criminals would not be talking about whether they wanted sugar in their tea, as the men on the video were shown to be doing.
'I have bought Kalashnikovs and kilos of heroin'
Mahmood replied: "I have bought Kalashnikovs and we have been drinking cups of tea and talking about the football."
The News of the World reporter went on to explain how it was that a criminal gang might accept an outsider into their company, arguing it was all about trust. "I have bought Kalashnikovs and kilos of heroin. It all works because somebody vouches for you... without a reference you have got serious problems.
The court was also shown clips from a tape showing three of the alleged gang members walking past the Beckhams home with Gashi. Mr Price suggested that the visit to the house had been contrived to provide evidence and a photo opportunity.
He said: "When you look at this particular visit and the brevity, the demeanour of people and the artificiality, this could not be a serious recce (check spelling) for criminal purposes, and that was apparent to you."
"No it was not," replied Mahmood.
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