Police have begun making enquiries after receiving new information relating to former West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan, following a joint investigation by BBC Panorama and The Times.
Essex Police confirmed that officers had been contacted after the investigation was published earlier this week, with the force stating that some contact and enquiries into those are now underway.
The investigation detailed allegations from multiple women who accused Sullivan of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour stretching back to the 1980s.
Sullivan has strongly denied all allegations made against him. The story has also prompted intervention from Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.
She held urgent discussions with both the Football Association and West Ham United after it emerged that Sullivan had been subject to safeguarding restrictions for the past three years.
According to the BBC’s reporting, the restrictions were introduced after a historic allegation was raised with the FA in 2023.
The measures reportedly prevented Sullivan from contacting players on West Ham’s women’s and academy teams, although he continued to attend men’s first-team fixtures.
Sullivan rejected suggestions that he had been subject to a disciplinary ban.
The 77-year-old insisted he had never met any academy or women’s team players on a one-to-one basis during his 16 years at the club.
He also stated that the complaint was unrelated to his involvement in football and described the restrictions as having no practical impact on his role.
Sullivan said he accepted them simply for a quiet life.
Nandy has since called for a full and urgent explanation regarding the handling of the safeguarding concerns and sought clarification from both the FA and West Ham.
West Ham have reiterated confidence in their safeguarding procedures, while maintaining that they cannot comment on individual cases.
The developments come just days after Sullivan stepped down as joint chairman.
He said his decision was motivated by a desire to focus on contesting what he described as factually incorrect and entirely false allegations concerning his personal life.
No criminal charges have been brought against Sullivan in relation to any of the allegations reported to date.