Seven women accuse David Sullivan; Panorama prompts resignation
David Sullivan resigned as West Ham joint chair on Saturday after being told a panorama investigation into allegations from seven women was about to publish. The women accused the co-owner of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour spanning decades, beginning in the 1980s.
He said he wanted to focus on fighting what he called "factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life". Sullivan also said he "categorically" denied the claims.
Florence and the newspaper meetings
Florence, a former model, said Sullivan told her during a business meeting at his home that she would be one of his newspapers' "regular girls" if they had sex. She said she was 20 when he manoeuvred her into a bedroom and started having sex with her after she tried to make excuses.
Two women said they felt they had no choice but to sleep with Sullivan to avoid damaging their future modelling careers. Another former model said he locked the door when she tried to leave a meeting after he propositioned her for sex. The women were in their late teens or early twenties and were seeking work at Sullivan's Daily and Sunday Sport newspapers.
Records and police disclosures
Reporters said details in the women's accounts were corroborated through diary entries, police and other records, plus interviews with friends and family. Eight women have made disclosures about Sullivan's conduct to the Met or Essex Police, and Sullivan was never charged as a result of the allegations.
Sullivan separately admitted paying for sex in the 1990s with a girl he believed was 16 or 17 years old. He was in his 40s at the time, and it only became illegal to pay for sex with a 16 or 17 year old in 2003.
West Ham and the publication
Sullivan's resignation removed him from the joint chair role at West Ham before the investigation published on Monday. The allegations now sit at the centre of a public account that links his business, newspapers and football interests to accusations that span decades and involve young women seeking modelling work.
