Tulisa due in court for cocaine charge

Singer Tulisa Contostavlos is expected to make her first appearance at Crown Court today accused of brokering a cocaine deal.

The N-Dubz star, 25, is charged with helping an undercover reporter obtain 13.9 grams of the Class A drug for £860 (€1,040).

She is listed to appear alongside rapper Mike GLC, also known as Michael Coombs, 35, of Velocity Way, Enfield, north London, for a preliminary hearing at Southwark Crown Court.

Former X Factor judge Contostavlos, of Friern Barnet, north London, denies being “concerned with the supply of 13.9 grams of cocaine” to the Sun on Sunday’s undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood, known as the “fake sheikh”, between May 20 and May 24.

Coombs denies a charge of supplying the drug on May 23.

Contostavlos allegedly set up the transaction after telling Mr Mahmood she could help provide him with “white sweets”, which is claimed to have been code for cocaine.

She is accused of playing a “significant role” of putting the fake sheikh in touch with Coombs before the pair met at the upmarket Dorchester Hotel in central London.

The Sun on Sunday recorded the meeting in which Coombs is said to have handed over half an ounce of cocaine.

Contostavlos was initially arrested in connection with the incident with Coombs on June 4.

She was officially dropped as a judge on X Factor days before her arrest, with Sharon Osbourne returning to the show in her place.

The pair are on unconditional bail.