Undercover Sun reporter Mazher Mahmood has been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice following a lengthy deliberation by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
The journalist, known from his time at the News of the World as the Fake Sheikh, has been charged along with Alan Smith, a witness in the collapsed trial of the singer Tulisa Contostavlos.
In announcing the charges, Nick Vamos, deputy head of special crime at the CPS, said the men were being charged “after a full file of evidence was submitted by the Metropolitan police on 5 June this year”.
He said: “After carefully considering all of the evidence the CPS has decided that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest to charge both men.
“This decision comes after it was alleged that Mr Smith agreed with Mr Mahmood to change his statement to police as part of a trial in July 2014, and that Mr Mahmood then misled the court.”
Mahmood and Smith are due to appear at Westminster magistrates court on 30 October.
Vamos added: “May I remind all concerned that both Mr Mahmood and Mr Smith have a right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings. For these reasons, it would be inappropriate for any further comment.”
Mahmood issued a statement through his lawyers, Kingsley Napley, saying:
“I am deeply disappointed that, after a totally unjustified delay, the Crown Prosecution Service have today informed me that they have decided to charge me with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
“I deny the offence. I will vigorously contest it at court. In the meantime I have nothing further to say.”
The charges followed a police investigation launched after the collapse of a trial in July 2014 involving Contostavlos. She had been charged after a Sun on Sunday article in June 2013 by Mahmood in which he alleged that she had helped to obtain cocaine at his request.
The Metropolitan police passed a file to the CPS in early June this year after an investigation into Mahmood’s actions during the trial.
A spokesman for News UK said: “We note the decision of the CPS to prosecute Mazher. We will await the outcome of the criminal trial. He remains suspendeed from The Sun.”
