Tulisa 'will plead not guilty' after being charged with being involved in the supply of Class A drugs

Former X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos was tonight charged in connection with the supply of Class A drugs.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced the 25-year-old will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on December 19.

The charge relates to Tulisa “being concerned in” the supply of drugs.

It follows a newspaper sting in which she was allegedly filmed appearing to fix an £820 cocaine deal with a man who was later revealed as an undercover journalist.

Tulisa is said to have acted as a go-between in the alleged drug deal involving part-time rapper Mike GLC - real name Michael Coombs – who was also charged.

During the sting operation, the reporter in question offered the singer a £3million film contract while masquerading as a movie producer.

Tulisa and her friends were also flown first class to Las Vegas.

CPS London chief Crown prosecutor Baljit Ubhey said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has today authorised the Metropolitan Police Service to charge Tulisa Contostavlos, 25, with being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs

“This charge relates to an investigation by the Sun newspaper between early March 2013 and May 23 2013 which resulted in the supply of Class A drugs to an investigative journalist,”

“This decision to prosecute was taken in accordance with the code for Crown prosecutors.

“We have determined that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and that a prosecution is in the public interest.”

“This defendant is now the subject of criminal proceedings and has the right to a fair trial.”

Tulisa was initially arrested in connection with the incident with 35-year-old musician Mike GLC on June 4 by appointment at a London police station.

If found guilty, supplying Class A drugs can carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

However, such severe punishment is only applied in the most extreme circumstances involving large scale drug rings, repeat offenders and huge profits.

Tulisa, from Hatfield, Herts, was officially dropped as a judge on X Factor days before her arrest, with Sharon Osborne returning to the show in her place.

A Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed the singer had been charged alongside Coombs, 35, of Enfield.

Tulisa’s lawyer Ben Rose said that she would fight the charge and plead not guilty.

Tulisa found fame as a member of N-Dubz before going solo and hitting number one with her debut single Young, released in April last year.

Her TV career flourished working as an X Factor judge on the show’s eighth and ninth series, in 2011 and 2012, before she was replaced.



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