MOUTHY former Tory minister Andrew Mitchell probably did call cops "fucking plebs" in a Downing Street row, a High Court judge found yesterday.

Mr Mitchell lost his libel action against News Group Newspapers (NGN) after a Sun article laid bare his arrogant attack on officers who refused to let him cycle through the street's main gates.

And Mr Justice Mitting said he was satisfied that the MP's tirade did include the "politically toxic word pleb."

Mr Mitchell was forced to resign when notes taken by PC Toby Rowland during the incident were revealed by the Sun.

He admitted mumbling: "I thought you lot were supposed to fucking help us" under his breath as he tried to exit onto Whitehall.

But he denied saying: "Best you learn your fucking place - you don't run this fucking government - you're fucking plebs," as was claimed by police.

His counsel, James Price QC, said a "web of lies, deceit and indiscipline" by police officers led to a press campaign and public hostility. He insisted that the version of the encounter which was leaked to the newspaper by a number of officers was "wholly false."

Mr Price said: "In the end, the lies brought Mr Mitchell down, destroying a political career of 27 years."

Band Aid organiser Bob Geldof gave a written statement on Mr Mitchell's behalf - a fact which Mr Price claimed indicated that Mr Mitchell was not a "Tory toff," and was not someone who would use a "toxic and class-laden" expression like pleb.

But Desmond Browne QC, representing PC Rowland, said Mr Mitchell was a "Jekyll and Hyde" character whose capacity for menace found its outlet in foul temper and foul language.