Indictment against Tulisa Contostavlos stayed by Southwark Crown Court – client statement

“Let me be perfectly clear. I have never dealt drugs and never been involved in taking or dealing cocaine.

This whole case was a horrific and disgusting entrapment by Mazher Mahmood and the Sun on Sunday newspaper.

Mahmood has now been exposed by my lawyers openly lying to the judge and jury. These lies were told to stop crucial evidence going before the jury. This evidence showed that I told Mahmood’s longstanding driver that I disapproved of drugs, which is the truth.

It is clear that the driver was pressurised to change his statement to strengthen Mahmood’s evidence and to damage mine.

Thankfully, the lies have been uncovered and justice has been done.

This case only happened because Mahmood and his team tricked me into believing I was auditioning for a major movie role. They targeted me at a time when things were going badly for me and they had no mercy.

Mahmood got me and my team completely intoxicated and persuaded me 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. It was a terrible thing to do.

As my lawyer said at the outset, we have now succeeded in exposing the real culprits, and, most importantly, the real liar.

As someone who has had my life ruined for the last year I strongly believe that this type of entrapment should not be allowed to happen to anyone.

I urge both police and News International to investigate Mazher Mahmood and his team and to put an end to his deceit in pursuit of sensational stories for commercial gain.

I have not been able to work for a year, and am now looking forward to resuming my career.

I will use these experiences to make me stronger.

I would like to thank all the people who have supported me through this terrible ordeal, including my fans- and of course my legal team.”