meeting.
“However, this was the basis upon which the Crown Prosecution Service charged Herbie with conspiracy to supply a class ‘A’ drug. Herbie pleaded guilty to the allegation on a basis that he had been tricked and entrapped in to committing the offence by the Sun on Sunday. Despite expectations that Herbie may receive a suspended sentence the judge sentenced him to 22 months immediate custody which was reduced on appeal to 18 months.”
Aziz said that the methods used by Mazher Mahmood to “contrive such a situation whereby Herbie was put in to this position was not detailed by the press and media at the time although highlighted by his Defence Counsel during his hearing at court. The same driver in Tulisa’s case whose statement Mahmood is accused of manipulating was used by Mahmood in Herbie’s sting along with another individual called ‘Gary’ who actively sought out Herbie and was instrumental in setting up the meetings between Herbie and Mahmood.”
Aziz said that at Herbie’s hearing The Sun on Sunday did not co-operate with his requests for disclosure regarding the people and methods employed in this sting.As a result of Tulisa’s collapsed trial and the judge’s comments Mahmood has now been suspended by the Sun pending an internal investigation. It is possible that Mahmood could be tried for perjury but no decision on that has been made yet.
Mahtab Aziz added: At the conclusion of Herbie’s case I commented that had Herbie’s case been heard at a London Crown Court and not in Norwich in my opinion there would not have been the same outcome. The defence’s abuse argument was not accepted by HHJ Lucraft QC. I had great issues with the conduct of the matter by HHJ Lucraft QC who presided over Herbie’s case and subsequently I successfully appealed to the Court of Appeal Criminal Division two of his decisions that he had made during the proceedings. The outcome in Tulisa’s case can only be described as just and fair but confirms my opinion and highlights an important issue and that is the same high standards should be applied up and down the country by all crown court judges.”