Essex Police receive new information after David Sullivan allegations

Police have been contacted with new information about West Ham co-owner David Sullivan following the publication of allegations of sexually exploitative behaviour against him dating back to the 1980s. Essex Police said on Thursday that it had “received some contact and inquiries into those are now under way”. It is not known whether the new information is linked to the seven women in the Times and BBC investigation, published earlier this week. The two- year investigation accused Mr Sullivan of pressuring young or aspiring models in their late teens or early 20s. The claims were made by women who were young models seeking work at Mr Sullivan’s Daily Sport and Sunday Sport newspapers. An investigation accused Mr Sullivan (pictured) of pressuring young or aspiring models in their late teens or early 20s (PA) Several women said Mr Sullivan abused his power as the boss of the newspapers to have sex with them. The 77-year-old, who quit as chairman of the east London football club on the weekend, said he “categorically denies” all of the claims. The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) said in a statement earlier this week that it is in contact with the football club seeking information about Mr Sullivan’s suitability as a co-owner following the claims. Downing Street called the allegations “harrowing” and said it was right for the police to assess the claims. Earlier this week, the Metropolitan Police said they were investigating a report relating to the “alleged taking of indecent images and sexual exploitation at locations in London and Essex in the 1980s”. The force said this investigation related to one alleged victim and was being led by specialist detectives from the Met’s rape and serious sexual offences team. Essex Police previously investigated an allegation of a non-recent sexual offence after a report was handed over from The Met in 2023. As part of that investigation, other claims of non-recent sexual offences made in 2008 and 2021 were also reviewed, and early investigative advice taken from the Crown Prosecution Service. The force then decided that no further action would be taken. A spokesman said it takes “allegations of this nature very seriously” and urged any alleged victim of sexual assault to report it to Essex Police. In a statement announcing he was stepping down as chairman, Mr Sullivan said: “The false allegations levelled against me have been sensationalised by the media. “After a lifetime spent building businesses in the adult industry, in which I have met thousands of women, it is sadly inevitable that a small number of improper conduct claims are being made against me. I categorically deny these claims.” In a further statement, he said he wished to “clarify recent media reports regarding a negotiated agreement with the Football Association (FA), which has been inaccurately described as a disciplinary ‘ban'”. “In my entire 16 years at West Ham United I have never met any academy or women’s team players 1-2-1, therefore a negotiated and temporary agreement with the FA not to do so until the FA resolved an outstanding complaint in relation to a single anonymous complaint regarding an event in 1981 was entered into,” Mr Sullivan said, in the statement released through lawyers. “The complaint had nothing to do about my time in football and it never happened. I saw it as a meaningless restriction, as it didn’t impact on my work in any way, therefore I accepted it for a quiet life.” Mr Sullivan made his millions from the pornography industry throughout the 1970s.