COCAINE quiz star Tulisa has given up battling for damages over her leaked sex tape, it was revealed last night.The former X Factor judge has been left with a legal bill estimated to top £ 270,000 WITHOUT getting a penny from the ex-boyfriend she sued when the film appeared on the internet.N-Dubz star Tulisa, 24 - who was arrested by cops on Tuesday on suspicion of supplying cocaine - finally threw in the towel to avoid racking up even more lawyers' fees since Justin Edwards, 26, is skint anyway.He had hoped to make a fortune by charging punters to download the six minutes of seedy footage showing the singer performing a sex act on him.But only SIX coughed up - netting a grand total of £ 23.Five other men accused by Tulisa of plotting to cash in on the tape also walked away without having to stump up anything.
They include Spice Girls creator Chris Herbert, 42, whose company has gone bust. Tulisa had been suing them for £ 100,000. Her only consolation is that as part of the settlement none of them can re-leak the sordid tape. Last night her spokesman insisted it had been worth going to court - since those involved had been "publicly humiliated".He added that Tulisa still hopes to recover the "lion's share" of her legal costs by pursuing owners of websites the tape appeared on.By settling her case she avoids a trial which would have brought her total costs to an estimated £ 806,000 with little prospect of recovering the money.One of her lawyers charges £ 425-an-hour for his work.Going to court also would have meant that embarrassing details of her sex life would have been raked over in public.The film of Tulisa and Edwards romping in an N-Dubz changing room was touted on a website as a £ 3.96 download in March 2012.Tulisa was being consoled by pals after being bailed by cops following her arrest.The tearful star - whose £ 6million rented mansion in Hertfordshire was searched by cops - is said to have shunned all food and drink since Sunday's revelations in The Sun about an £ 800 cocaine deal.Her rapper pal Mike GLC, 35 - real name Michael Cooms - was also arrested and bailed.A source said she had done little but chain smoke, adding grimly: "Nobody has seen her this low before. A possible jail sentence and end to her career if she is found guilty is killing her."She's strong, but it will take a lot to get her through this."Tulisa just sits in one chair downstairs all day and night, rocking back and forth saying, 'My life is over'."
