Fake Sheikh's Page 3 victim to sue over the sting that ended her career - as it's revealed that police 'were warned about dodgy methods a decade ago but still brought cases' 

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Emma Morgan is one of at least 20 people taking civil action against Mahmood

The Page Three victim of 'Fake Sheikh' Mazher Mahmood plans to sue him over the sting that ended her modelling career. 

Emma Morgan is one of at least 20 people taking civil action against the 53-year-old undercover reporter, who faces jail after being found guilty of tampering with evidence in the collapsed drugs trial of popstar Tulisa Contostavlos.

Following a two-week trial at the Old Bailey, Mahmood and his driver, Alan Smith, 67, were found guilty of plotting to pervert the course of justice. 

The convictions have sparked calls for more regulations on undercover reporting and citizen investigators.

The former glamour model was lured by Mahmood with offers of a lucrative contract for a Middle East bikini calendar.

Miss Morgan, who was 24 at the time, was covertly filmed taking cannabis and cocaine. When the story was published her career was destroyed.

She told BBC Radio 4: ‘It was quite similar to the way he set Tulisa up and when I saw her story, alarm bells rang.

‘I was contacted by a photographer I knew in the past, a really lovely guy and I had no reason not to believe it.

‘Steve Greyson contacted him to say he was a photographer working for the printers, part of the royal family in one of the Arab states, which is quite believable because their royal families are not like ours.

‘He was alleging there was a new breakthrough over there and they were going to release a calendar in bikinis - I was apparently the prince’s favourite Page Three girl and there was going to be a shoot in Lanzarote.

‘When I got there, there was a bodyguard (Billy) for me who turned out to be a cocaine dealer. After promising all kinds of work he asked if I could get him cocaine.

'He said he (Mahmood) didn't really trust him and would I please just get it from him and give it to Mazher Mahmood, and after being told what he would do for me, I got cocaine from Billy and gave it to Mazher Mahmood.

Mazher Mahmood, pictured (left) after his arrest and (right) entering court, has been found guilty of perverting the course of justice over his role in the drugs trial of singer Tulisa

Mahmood, pictured hiding his face as he left court today, conspired to suppress evidence following a sting he carried out on popstar Tulisa

‘He accused me of being a drug dealer, drug smuggler, smuggling kilos of cocaine and ecstasy tablets.

‘That’s not a story, a Page Three girl who has taken cocaine.

‘I took a package of cocaine from Billy and passed it to Mazher Mahmood - if that’s drug dealing, I am guilty of that. 

'What I’m suggesting he did was turn a bit of smoke into a massive fire.

‘My career ended, Page Three didn't want me anymore, I was evicted from my flat, I was due to do some acting work and that went by the wayside when they did a press check.

‘They (the police) said he was causing people to act in a criminal way when they wouldn't usually do so.

‘I tried to do something at the time. A contact in Westminster, who advised me not to take the News Of The World to court and apparently that was bad advice, which is why I will be able to do something about this now.’

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was among the 'fake sheikh's' targets

News of the undercover sting made front and back pages across the world

He was sacked by the FA after the Three Lions exited the competition at the quarter final stage

It's understood that former football manager Sven Goran-Eriksson is also one of the 20 people taking civil action.

In 2006, Mahmood secretly filmed the then-England boss saying he'd be prepared to quit the England job if they won the World Cup later that year and be involved in a takeover of Aston Villa, and said that he would 'tap up' David Beckham at Real Madrid. 

Eriksson was sacked by the FA in 2006 after England were knocked out of the tournament in Germany by Portugal in the quarter finals.

The former Lazio and Manchester City boss blames the sting conducted by Mahmood for prompting his departure rather than performances on the pitch and says he will now seek financial compensation.

Eriksson told Sky Sports News HQ: 'That man was a disaster for my professional life - England was the biggest job of my life, and he took it away from me.

Eriksson leaving his home in the aftermath of the sting conducted by Mahmood

'I would probably have been sacked anyway if England didn't win the World Cup in 2006 - but in fact, I was sacked because of the Fake Sheikh; 90 per cent of what he said about me was lies.

'The newspaper apologised six months later, but it was too late by then - I'd lost the biggest job of my life, and my reputation was in tatters.'

When asked what punishment Mahmood should face, Eriksson replied: 'He should be in prison.'

Nazir Afzal, the former chief of the CPS in the North West said the convictions show that regulations may need to be looked at. 

He said: ‘There were some very successful prosecutions, the spot fixing cases 2011 of Pakistani cricketers were convicted on the basis of evidence he provided to the police, serious organised criminals in the 90s heavily involved in the drug trade, he also shopped a relative of his to increase his credibility with his newspaper.

‘There were cases where he did do a service. What has happened subsequently, particularly with his obsession with celebrities, has seen him lowering the threshold and upping the pressure'

'In this country entrapment is legal. The police have very strict limitations as far as they can go in coercing criminality but in terms of the citizen investigators or undercover reporters, they actually have very little.  

‘One is mindful about the fact there is little regulation on undercover newspaper work and citizen investigators which perhaps needs to be looked into.’ 

It emerged today that Scotland Yard was warned 13 years ago about Mazher Mahmood's dodgy methods on at least two occasions, but they continued to treat his stories as evidence.

Police received information between 2003 and 2005, which identified concerns about Mahmood. 

A source told The Guardian: 'The Met continued to make use of his services. 

'By 2005 they knew he was suspect but they were still involved with him.' 

Mahmood and Smith conspired to suppress evidence in the former N-Dubz star's trial, which was thrown out at Southwark Crown Court in July 2014.

After the case today, a lawyer for 18 people who claim they were victims of Mahmood's investigations revealed they plan to pursue him and his former employer News UK in civil claims which could top £800 million.

The Crown Prosecution Service has also already dropped a number of live cases in the wake of the Tulisa trial and has identified a total of 42 past cases with 72 defendants involving Mahmood.

They added that in 25 of these cases, involving 41 defendants, they have released details of material which they may consider undermines a conviction.   

Eight people prosecuted after Fake Sheikh stings, including Pakistani cricket fixer Mazhar Majeed, want to get their convictions quashed. Six cases have been lodged with the Criminal Cases Review Commission which expects to receive two more files within weeks.

Famous figures preparing cases include the Duchess of York, who believes she lost millions in work and endorsements after being exposed in 2010.

The Duchess of York was caught on camera offering privileged access to her former husband Prince Andrew – then a UK trade envoy – for £500,000.

Her former financial adviser John Bryant, once photographed sucking her toes, is also suing in the US for more than £100million over another Mahmood sting. Others include London’s Burning star John Alford and former Page Three model Emma Morgan, who were both caught in cocaine stings.

A jury found he tampered with evidence ahead of the planned drugs trial of popstar Tulisa

The case was brought against Mahmood after Tulisa was accused of arranging for him to be sold £800 of cocaine by one of her contacts following an elaborate sting for the Sun on Sunday newspaper in May 2013.

During a meeting at the Metropolitan Hotel in London, Mahmood posed as a film producer and plied Miss Contostavlos with alcohol as they discussed an acting role alongside Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio.

As Smith drove the former X Factor judge home to Hertfordshire, she allegedly spoke about a family member who had a drugs problem.

When he was interviewed by police about the journey more than a year later, Smith, of Dereham, Norfolk, recalled the conversation.

But a day later, after speaking to Mahmood and emailing his draft statement, the singer's anti-drugs comments were removed, the court heard.

At a pre-trial hearing, Mahmood denied being an 'agent provocateur' or that he discussed the drugs conversation with Smith.

But when he was questioned at length in the trial, Mahmood appeared to concede he had talked to Smith about what Miss Contostavlos said about drugs in the car.

Neither defendant gave evidence but it was said on Mahmood's behalf that there had been a 'misunderstanding' of his evidence as he was 'steamrollered' with multi-faceted questions.

And Miss Contostavlos's comments in the car would not have stacked up against the 'clear and incontrovertible evidence' against her, it was claimed.

Defence lawyer John Kelsey-Fry QC told jurors: 'Mr Mahmood is not a policeman. He is a journalist.

'Whilst the prosecution may say he boasts of the number of convictions resulting from his work, securing convictions is not actually his job.'

He said Mahmood's whole investigation was about exposing the pop star's private face 'smoking weed' and 'arranging cocaine for mates' set against her public persona as a 'role model'.

Smith's lawyer, Trevor Burke QC, challenged jurors to try to remember, as his client had done, conversations and events a year earlier.

After her case collapsed in July 2014, Miss Constavlos claimed to reporters she had been the victim of 'a horrific and disgusting entrapment'.

For more than 25 years, Mahmood has enjoyed a position as 'King of the Sting' at the now defunct News of the World, Sunday Times and Sun on Sunday with Smith as his 'right-hand man'. 

Mahmood, from Purley, south London, has been suspended by News UK since the collapse of the Tulisa trial.

A spokesman for the company said today: 'We are disappointed by the news that Mazher Mahmood has been convicted. We do not have further comment at this time.'

The Crown Prosecution Service has since dropped a number of live criminal cases in which Mahmood was due to be a witness and announced a review of 25 past convictions.

A CPS spokesman said: 'We have taken all reasonable steps to trace cases linked to Mr Mahmood - including the issuing of a press release, along with scrutiny of our own records and other sources of information.

'We have identified 42 cases with 72 defendants involving Mahmood and we have been able to serve disclosure packs in 25 cases involving 41 defendants. We have also provided a disclosure pack to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

'The decision on whether to take any further legal steps rests solely with the relevant defence team.

'To date we are aware of two applications by convicted defendants for leave to appeal conviction. Both were refused by the Court of Appeal.'

While officer in the case, Detective Constable Jim Morrison, said: 'This case is a reminder that perverting the course of justice is a very serious offence that goes to the heart of our justice system. We will always take action where statements or other evidence has been tampered with.' 

The Criminal Cases Review Commission is currently reviewing six cases involving celebrities who were convicted following involvement with Mahmood. 

As he was leaving court, Mahmood declined to comment to journalists or say whether he would be launching an appeal.

Ben Rose, Miss Contostavlos' defence lawyer, said: 'The real scandal in this case is that Mahmood was allowed to operate as a wholly unregulated police force, 'investigating' crimes without the safeguards which apply to the police.

'It was obvious from the outset that Tulisa should never have had to go to court.

'If Mahmood's evidence had been properly stress-tested instead of accepted wholesale by the CPS, we are confident it would have come to the same conclusion.

'Investigative journalists do important work, but Mahmood clearly went too far.

'That he and his driver have now been convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice will hopefully deter other journalists from using entrapment to drive celebrity gossip stories.

'Mahmood's actions brought his profession into disrepute and ruined hundreds of lives in pursuit of better circulation figures.

'The Crown Prosecution Service should not be so credulous in future.  

Mark Lewis, a lawyer for individuals were convicted of crimes which, they argue, came as the result Mahmood's false evidence, said his clients are pursuing 'substantial compensation'.  

Mr Lewis said: 'Over the last 25 years, innumerable lives have been ruined by the dishonest actions of Mazher Mahmood. People have lost their livelihoods, their homes and relationships, with some spending time in prison.

'Following today's verdict, there will be a significant number of civil claims made against Mazher Mahmood. We anticipate the total sums involved could easily reach £800 million, with some awards dwarfing those seen in the phone-hacking scandal.'  

While Hacked Off campaign director Dr Evan Harris said the implications of Mahmood's conviction were 'far-reaching'. 

THE FAKE SHEIKH, THE DRUGS STING AND THE TRIAL THAT FELL APART: TIMELINE OF THE MAZHER MAHMOOD CASE

December 2012. Sun undercover journalist Mazher Mahmood receives information from a source alleging that Miss Contostavlos is dealing drugs.

28 March 2013. Mahmood, posing as a film producer, meets the N-Dubz star in the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas to discuss a potential role alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.

May 10. They have a second boozy meeting at the Metropolitan Hotel in Park Lane, London. They discuss the provision of 'green sweets' and 'white sweets', which is allegedly code for cannabis and cocaine.

May 11. Mahmood's driver Alan Smith drives Miss Contostavlos back to her home in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, at 2.37am. In the car, she allegedly talks disapprovingly of hard drugs, saying a family member had a problem.

Police at Tulisa's home in Hertfordshire when she was questioned over the claims

May 25. Friend delivers half an ounce of cocaine to Mahmood at the Dorchester hotel in exchange for £800.

June 2. The Sun on Sunday newspaper publishes the drugs story.

June 4. Miss Contostavlos is arrested and interviewed before being charged five days later.

March 17 2014. The pop star tells her solicitor Jane Hickman about discussions in Smith's car about a family member who was dependent on cocaine and in which she expressed strong disapproval of drugs.

April 1. Her defence statement is served on the Crown Prosecution Service, making clear she would argue the proceedings against her should be stopped because Mahmood had 'entrapped' her.

June 23. Smith is interviewed by Detective Constable Andrew Nicklin. The driver told him: 'Tulisa said something about someone in her family having a drug problem. She was really negative about it...'

Tulisa arrives to face charges in July 2014

June 24. Smith changes his statement after speaking to Mahmood and emailing a copy. The new version states: 'I do remember though at one stage there was talk of drugs. Tulisa's assistant said something about it but I can't remember exactly who said what.'

June 26/27. Pre-trial hearing in Miss Contostavlos's case. Giving evidence, Mahmood denies trapping the singer, saying: 'I wasn't to be an agent provocateur, which is standard for all investigations.' Under cross examination by Jeremy Dein QC, he denied discussing with Smith what was said in the car, in particular the conversation about drugs.

July 16. Smith admitted to solicitors for Miss Contostavlos that he sent Mahmood a copy of his statement detailing the conversation in the car.

July 16/7. Mahmood gives evidence in the trial and concedes Smith sent him his initial statement and that they talked about what Miss Contostavlos said in the car about drugs.

July 21. The Southwark Crown Court trial collapses.

July 22. Mahmood is suspended by his employer, News UK.

September 10. Smith answers no comment to police questions but says in statement: 'I did not discuss the content of my statement with Mahmood other than indicate to him that I was not happy about some of the information in it...'

September 22. Mahmood is interviewed by police at Charing Cross police station and gives a prepared statement saying the court was looking for 'an excuse' to drop the trial.

September 2016. Mahmood and Smith go on trial at the Old Bailey accused of plotting to pervert the course of justice.