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Former heavyweight champ jailed for selling cocaine

Former world heavyweight boxing champion, Herbie Hide, has been jailed for selling cocaine after a court heard he fell for a sting operation set up by an investigative journalist known as the Fake Sheikh.

Hide arranged to supply the class A drug to Sun on Sunday reporter Mazher Mahmood after a series of meetings at a hotel near Norwich in January and February 2013.

During a sentencing hearing at Cambridge crown court, defence lawyers questioned the use of "entrapment" tactics to target the 42-year-old.

Hide, of Long Lane, Bawburgh, near Norwich, admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Judge Mark Lucraft QC sentenced the boxer, who has previous convictions, including criminal damage, battery, threatening behaviour and carrying a knife, to 22 months in prison. He said he had reduced the sentence, partly because of the "sting element".

Martin Budworth, mitigating for Hide, said Mr Mahmood and his assistant had pursued his client "relentlessl

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