Tulisa ‘offered drugs connection in hope of film role’

FORMER X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos helped to supply cocaine to an undercover reporter who promised he could help the singer crack the movie business, a court has heard.

Tulisa Contostavlos arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London. Picture: Reuters

Reporter Mazher Mahmood, dubbed the “fake sheikh”, posed as a wealthy film producer called Samir Khan and met the former N-Dubz star in Las Vegas and at the luxury Metropolitan Hotel in London’s Mayfair, jurors heard.

He promised the 26-year-old singer he could “get her a part in a big movie that was coming up” with Leonardo DiCaprio, and she was keen to be “in his good books”, prosecutor Tim Cray told London’s Southwark Crown Court.

Contostavlos then allegedly boasted she could “sort out” drugs for a boys’ night out at a London strip club she was arranging for him.

She put Mr Mahmood in touch with her rapper friend Mike GLC who supplied the cocaine at a late-night rendezvous at London’s five-star Dorchester Hotel, jurors heard.

The singer also allegedly bragged she used to be part of a gang who sold crack cocaine and that her ex-boyfriend was a cocaine dealer.

But the illicit drug deal was taped and exposed in a front-page story in the Sun on Sunday newspaper last May, the court heard.

Mike GLC, whose real name is Michael Coombs, 36, pleaded guilty on Monday to supplying half an ounce (13.9g) of cocaine – which tests later showed was at 37 per cent purity – for £860.

Contostavlos continues to deny helping to broker the cocaine deal.

Mr Cray told jurors Mr Mahmood was staying in France, where he was posing as a high-flying producer.

He first arranged to meet Contostavlos in Las Vegas in March last year, and in May the pair met in Mayfair, during which they discussed whether Contostavlos was more suited to the film role than Kate Winslet or Keira Knightley.

Mr Cray told the court: “The defendant said she used cannabis to help get to sleep and that she had connections to drug dealers.”

He said Mr Mahmood 
arranged to fly to London from France for a night out later that month, and he received a call from Contostavlos at 10…30pm on 21 May to arrange it, when talk turned to whether cocaine would be available.

He said: “When the topic of drugs was raised, the defendant, Miss Contostavlos, said she could definitely sort that out – that is, supplying cocaine to Samir Khan.

“She said she would need to make a few phone calls, but the drugs would be available from the next day, when he got to London.”

The singer texted him the next day stating: “Let me know when you land so I can sort you out.” Shortly afterwards she contacted Coombs to arrange the deal, it is alleged.

Mr Mahmood booked himself into the Belgravia suite of the five-star Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair and it was there Coombs handed over the drugs, telling Mr Mahmood he had only gone to such trouble because he was good friends with Contostavlos, the jury of nine men and three women heard.

The trial continues.