OPINION/REVIEW: What exactly are the 'libellous' claims being made about billionaire former West Ham boss David Sullivan by BBC Panorama?

The is an opinion piece commenting on and reviewing the BBC report of the allegations ahead of the Panorama documentary tonight and is the honestly held views of the author based on the known facts.

A PANORAMA documentary due to screen at 8pm tonight will accuse former West Ham boss and porn baron David Sullivan of allegedly "abusing his position at the Sunday Sport" to "have sex with aspiring glamour models".

But, what, exactly is being claimed?

The BBC and The Times newspaper said a joint investigation has secured similar accounts from six anonymous women, and one named, who claim they were made to feel they would have to have sex with him in order to to get into or on in the industry.

It says all the women were in their late teens or early twenties and were seeking to appear as models at Mr Sullivan's Daily and Sunday Sport newspapers, which regularly featured images of several topless women.

The claims centre around the women meeting Mr Sullivan, mainly at his lavish 14-bedroom mansion called Birch Hall in Theydon Bois, to go through their portfolio and pose in underwear to see if they were suitable for the work.

However, it is alleged that in some cases he would ask for sex acts in return for getting into the industry or preferential treatment.

A BBC report ahead of the broadcast has described the alleged behaviour as "sexual misconduct" and "exploitative".

From the initial reports by The Times and BBC ahead of the documentary, it does not appear Mr Sullivan is being accused of anything criminal by the newspaper and broadcaster.

The allegations appear to be more issues of "morality" and a "potential abuse of position."

There have not been any clear allegations of criminal sexual offences made in the reports.

Four of seven women interviewed by the team said he asked for sex acts during meetings over potential glamour work at his publications, but they declined, with Mr Sullivan leaving it at that.

At least one of them even went on to secure work at the Sport following the knock back.

The other three women interviewed claimed sex acts did take place, but it does not appear to be alleged it was without consent, and more that they were reluctant and have since regretted it.

Although, one of the three told the BBC she did not want to have sex, but could not be sure "how she expressed it and whether he got the message."

Mr Sullivan, who stepped down from the club on Sunday, to fight the "libellous allegations" denies any wrongdoing.

In a statement, he said: "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."

The BBC report reveals there have been similar allegations made to police by what it said was eight women.

UK News and Investigations can also confirm that investigations by Essex Police into allegations made by a number of women, said to be eight by the BBC, led to no arrest being made and no further action taken after early advice was sought from the CPS.

According to the BBC it has spoken to one of the eight women who reported alleged offences to police, who it named as former page 3 girl Sacha Wall.

This suggests the other six women it interviewed for the investigation have not made complaints to police.

The BBC report said: "We have also discovered that eight women have made disclosures about Sullivan's conduct to the Met or Essex Police, including one woman who is part of our investigation."

Regarding these police enquiries, in June 2024 an Essex Police spokesperson told UK News and Investigations: “Essex police received a number of allegations relating to non-recent sexual offences. Our specialist officers carried out an investigation and obtained accounts from victims.

"Following consultation with the CPS and acting on advice received from them, we have taken the decision that no further action will be taken in relation to a number of the allegations. One investigation remains ongoing and will be subject of further enquiries.”

Then in February this year the same force said the investigation into the allegation from the remaining complainant had also been dropped with no further action.

The force said: "Essex police received a number of allegations relating to non-recent sexual offences.“Tackling violence against women and girls is a key focus for Essex Police and we take allegations of this nature very seriously.

“Our specialist officers, who specifically investigate non-recent sexual offences, carried out a thorough and extensive investigation including obtaining accounts from those affected.

“Early investigative advice was sought from the CPS, but following a thorough investigation Essex Police took the decision that no further action would be taken in relation to these allegations."

The Essex Police investigation had been referred to it by the Met Police.

The allegations started in 2021 when two women came forward to the Met Police.

The case is understood to have been passed to Essex Police due to the locations of some of the alleged offences being in Essex.

A CPS source said: "We gave early investigative advice (to Essex Police on these cases) in 2021 and 2023, however were not asked to review a full file for charging."

Judges have said in crown court sex offence trials that "reluctant consent" is still consent and it does not constitute a criminal offence if someone has sex or other sex acts with someone who reluctantly agrees to take part.

In one case UK News and Investigations watched, a man's estranged wife accused him of raping her, but he was cleared after the evidence showed she had texted a friend saying she didn't want to do it but let him anyway.

In the BBC report, it said that two women who spoke to reporters said they "felt they had no choice but to sleep with him to avoid damaging their future modelling careers, and accused Sullivan of abusing his power."

It was not made clear in the report if they had reluctantly agreed on that basis.

Another woman, who the BBC called Florence, said that Mr Sullivan told her during a 1999 business meeting at his home when she was 20 that she would be one of his newspapers' "regular girls" if they had sex.

She said she made excuses that her boyfriend was waiting nearby and that she was on her period, but Mr Sullivan still wanted sex and this happened in a bedroom, she claimed.

She told the BBC that she had not wanted to have sex, but could not be certain on how or if she made this clear.

She said she sent on to work for the Sport newspapers and did not report anything to police amid an assumption that a glamour model would not be believed.

The BBC said lawyers for David Sullivan said Florence's account was "implausible" due to the layout of his house.

Former page 3 girl Sacha, real name Elen, (above in a still from tonight's documentary - BBC Panorama) and the only one to be named detailed an alleged 1998 similar encounter with Mr Sullivan when she was aged 24 on an online report that did not name him two years ago.

She said that after stripping to her underwear, Mr Sullivan said he could put her in the paper and she could become one of his "special friends."

She says she told him if he thought she was going to sleep with him to get in the paper there was no way that would happen.

She said he asked "not even oral sex?".

She decided to leave, but found the bedroom door locked.

Mr Sullivan opened the door, she said, and still gave her work at the paper, which she claimed he described as "doing it the hard way," with "no special favours".

She said she had reported what allegedly happened to her to Essex Police, to support any other potential alleged victims, and the force took no further action in respect of it in April 2024.

Three other would-be glamour models the BBC spoke to said Mr Sullivan wanted sex during business meetings, but they all declined, which Mr Sullivan accepted, so no offences were committed.

Mr Sullivan's response statement in full: "He said: "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.

"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.

"I am a private man, and those who personally and professionally know the real David Sullivan, not the caricature invented by the tabloids, know exactly who I am and what I stand for. I am absolutely not the person the media has decided to paint me as.

"I have not been provided with any proper explanation as to how these individuals or their claims were independently verified or assessed for credibility prior to publication. I believe that the entire process has been fundamentally unfair and completely lacking in any due impartiality. I will be suing the BBC for libel, along with any other media outlet that repeats any libellous allegations."

He said none of the allegations related to his more than 30 years in football.

He added: "West Ham United has been one of the greatest passions and privileges of my life. I care deeply about the club, its supporters, its players, its staff, and its future. At what is already a challenging and important time for the club, I refuse to allow personal matters concerning me to become an unnecessary distraction or a source of instability.

"Therefore, after very careful consideration and with a heavy heart, I have decided to resign as Joint-Chair and Director of West Ham United FC with immediate effect.

"This has been an incredibly painful decision to make, but it is one made out of love, respect, and responsibility toward a football club and a fan base that deserve absolute unity and focus moving forward.

"I am stepping down to apply my full energy and attention on fighting these false allegations. I have officially engaged my legal team and we are preparing to issue legal proceedings in respect of each and every false complaint that has been made against me. I will be seeking full redress, legally and publicly, on every single front.

"As I depart, I want to thank everyone connected with West Ham United, past and present, for the loyalty, friendship, memories and European adventures and successes that I will carry with me forever. West Ham United will always remain close to my heart, and I have total confidence that the Board of Directors and interim "Chief Executive Officer Karim Virani will do everything they can to take the club forward in the right direction. I wish everyone connected with the club every success in the future.

"I will not be making further public comment at this stage, but I reserve all legal rights available to me in relation to any false or defamatory allegations."

Main image BBC Panorama.