British prosecutors to review 25 ‘Fake Sheik’ convictions

Twenty-five convictions secured through evidence given by British undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood - nicknamed the 'Fake Sheikh' - will be reviewed because of doubts over his reliability as a witness, prosecutors said on Thursday.

Infamous for often reporting undercover posing as a wealthy Arab dressed in robes and a keffiyeh, his evidence has helped secure convictions in several high-profile cases including on drug charges involving celebrities and sporting figures.

But several of his targets have complained of entrapment. In July, a case against pop star Tulisa Contostavlos, who was accused of offering to procure cocaine for Mahmood, collapsed after the judge said he had "strong grounds to believe" Mahmood had lied at a hearing before the trial started.

Mahmood was suspended in July from The Sun newspaper following the trial's collapse.

The Crown Prosecution Service said: "We are now considering past cases which resulted in a conviction in criminal courts in England and Wales based on evidence provided by Mr Mahmood, and have identified 25 cases."