David Sullivan, the former joint-chairman of West Ham United, has been accused of 'preying on teenage models' in an explosive episode of BBC Panorama. The 77-year-old resigned from his role and has vowed to sue the BBC ahead of the 'impending publication of serious historic allegations'.
Allegations of paying for sex with a minor
A joint investigation by Panorama and The Times reported that Sullivan admitted to paying for sex in the 1990s with a girl he believed was 16 or 17 years old at the time. It only became illegal to pay for sex with a 16 or 17-year-old in 2003. The allegations come from seven models, who were in their late teens or early twenties at the time, seeking work at his Daily and Sunday Sport titles.
One woman, using the pseudonym Florence, claimed that Sullivan penetrated her after promising to make her one of his 'regular girls'. Then aged 20, she said she tried to make excuses, including that she was on her period, before he manoeuvred her into a bedroom and started having sex with her. 'This is the bit that will haunt me forever,' she said. 'He lifted his pinky in the air – his little finger – and he went, it's all right, I'll only put it in a little bit.' She was in 'pure panic mode' and is '99.999999%' sure she was telling him: 'I don't want to, I don't want to.' Florence added that she panicked and said her boyfriend was outside, but Sullivan was undeterred, replying: 'It will only take a minute and he never has to know.' His lawyers have dismissed Florence's account as 'implausible'.
'No job/blow job' nickname
Panorama alleges that Sullivan earned the nickname 'No job/blow job' after allegedly asking models to perform oral sex in return for modelling in his papers. The Guardian once quoted him as saying: 'I've always said what's the point in owning a sweet shop if you can't eat a few sweets.' Another model, Sacha, claimed she was summoned to his mansion for a business meeting and was surprised by his scruffy attire – 'flip-flops' and a t-shirt. When he asked her to sit next to him, she said she put her bra back on and sat as far away as possible. She told him: 'If you think I'm going to sleep with you to get in the paper, you've got another thing coming.' She said he looked shocked and replied: 'What, not even a blow job?' She refused.
Sullivan's denial and resignation
Sullivan, who made his fortune from pornography, claims he is facing 'a small number of improper conduct claims' after meeting 'thousands of women' in the adult industry. In a statement, he branded the allegations 'defamatory' and 'false', and said he plans to sue the BBC for libel. 'I have recently become aware that factually incorrect and entirely false, decades-old allegations concerning my personal life are due to be broadcast and published,' he 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.' He added that he is 'absolutely not the person the media has decided to paint me as' and will be suing the BBC for libel. He resigned as Joint-Chair and Director of West Ham United FC with immediate effect, stating he refuses to allow personal matters to become a distraction for the club.
Police investigation
The Metropolitan Police confirmed it is 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 the investigation is being led by specialist detectives from the Met's Rape and Serious Sexual Offences team. Scotland Yard said: 'We take all allegations of offences against women and girls extremely seriously, no matter the length of time that has passed.' They encouraged any victims of sexual offences to come forward. Sullivan's net worth was estimated at around £1.2 billion in 2024, according to The Times Rich List.
