Essex Police receive new information after David Sullivan allegations

Following the publication of allegations of sexually abusive behavior against West Ham co-owner David Sullivan dating back to the 1980s, police were contacted to obtain new information about him.

In a statement on Thursday, Essex Police said “some contacts have been made and investigations into these are currently ongoing”.

It is unknown whether the new information is linked to the seven women in the incident. Times And BBC The investigation was published earlier this week.

The two-year investigation accused Mr. Sullivan of pressuring young or aspiring models in their teens or early 20s.

The allegations were made by women who were young models looking for work in Mr Sullivan’s household. Daily Sports And Sunday Sports newspapers.

Some women said Mr. Sullivan abused his authority as the newspaper’s boss to have sex with them.

The 77-year-old, who stepped down as chairman of the East London football club at the weekend, said he “categorically denies” all the allegations.

The Independent Football Regulator (IFR) said in a statement earlier this week that it had been in contact with the football club to inquire about Mr Sullivan’s suitability as co-owner following the allegations.

Downing Street described the allegations as “heartbreaking” and said it was right for police to consider the allegations.

Earlier this week the Metropolitan Police said they were investigating a report “allegedly filming indecent images and sexual abuse at locations in London and Essex in the 1980s”.

Police said this investigation concerned an alleged victim and was being carried out by specialist detectives from the Met’s rape and serious sexual offenses team.

Essex Police previously investigated a recent allegation of unrealized sexual offenses following a report from The Met in 2023.

As part of this investigation, further allegations of non-recent sexual offenses in 2008 and 2021 were also examined and early inquest advice was received from the Crown Prosecution Service.

The force then decided that no further action would be taken.

A spokesman said “allegations of this nature are taken very seriously” and urged anyone who is an alleged victim of sexual assault to report it to Essex Police.

In a statement announcing his resignation as chairman, Mr Sullivan said: “The false allegations made against me have been sensationalized by the media.

“After a lifetime of building a business in the adult industry, where I have met thousands of women, it is unfortunately inevitable that a small number of allegations of inappropriate behavior will be made against me. I categorically deny these allegations.”

In his next statement, he said he “wants to clarify recent media reports regarding an agreement with the Football Association (FA) that has been incorrectly described as a disciplinary ‘ban’.”

“I have never met an academy or 1-2-1 women’s team player in my 16 years at West Ham United, so a negotiated and provisional agreement was made with the FA not to do so until the FA resolved an outstanding complaint regarding a single anonymous complaint relating to an incident in 1981,” Mr Sullivan said in a statement issued through lawyers.

“The complaint has nothing to do with my time in football and never has. Since it did not affect my work in any way, I saw it as a pointless restriction and accepted it for a quiet life.”

Mr. Sullivan made his millions from the pornography industry throughout the 1970s.