Karren Brady stayed at West Ham despite knowing of Sullivan women's team ban

Former West Ham vice-chair Baroness Brady knew the club's co-owner David Sullivan was banned from contacting the women's and younker teams due to the fact that of safeguarding concerns, but has defended continuing to enactment for him for 3 years, the BBC has learned.

Baroness Brady, 57, who is champion known for her relation connected BBC One's The Apprentice, has worked for Sullivan for the champion portion of 4 decades, including 16 years arsenic vice-chair astatine West Ham.

In her archetypal effect to a BBC Panorama and Times paper investigation which revealed that David Sullivan had been accused of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour, lawyers for Baroness Brady said she stayed astatine West Ham due to the fact that of the rule of a "presumption of innocence" and denied that it was hypocritical to stay determination whilst besides being a vocal protagonist of women's rights.

Her lawyers said she had "no knowledge" of the allegations made successful a associated BBC Panorama and Times paper probe published earlier this week, and added she was "not progressive in, nor did she witness... [any] of the incidents alleged successful the reports".

Sullivan has categorically denied each allegations against him.

In correspondence from her lawyers to the BBC connected Friday evening, she acknowledged that she was made alert that the Football Association had raised concerns astir Sullivan erstwhile the FA contacted West Ham successful July 2023.

This followed the FA receiving a ailment astir a historical allegation dating backmost to the 1980s.

Brady's lawyers said, though she was aware, she was not progressive successful the determination made by West Ham successful conjunction with the section authorization and the FA to enforce restrictions connected Sullivan's entree to the club's women's and younker teams.

The lawyers said her relation was to "ensure the club's established and robust safeguarding structures, procedures and indispensable confidentialities were followed and respected throughout".

Brady continued moving for the nine until April this twelvemonth erstwhile she stepped down abruptly 5 games earlier the extremity of the season.

In the letter, her lawyers said she remained astatine West Ham due to the fact that Sullivan ever denied the allegation and she relied "on the rule of presumption of innocence successful continuing to enactment astatine the club".

Asked by the BBC whether Brady saw immoderate contradiction betwixt her enactment for women's rights and moving for a antheral who was perceived to contiguous capable hazard to women and younger radical that helium was prevented from contacting them astatine his ain shot club, her lawyers said determination wasn't one.

"There is nary inconsistency oregon hypocrisy betwixt our lawsuit advocating for the extortion of women and respecting the confidential safeguarding probe and process that was being managed by the due safeguarding professionals and statutory authorities," they said.

Brady has worked with Sullivan for the champion portion of 4 decades. She worked for his Sport newspapers earlier helium named the then-23-year-old managing manager of Birmingham City aft taking implicit the nine successful 1993.

After buying West Ham with concern partners successful 2010, Sullivan installed Baroness Brady arsenic vice-chair and she helped negociate the club's determination to the Olympic Stadium successful 2016.

At the clip of her departure, she issued a connection saying it had "been a privilege to enactment alongside the board, management, players, unit and supporters astatine West Ham United".

Baroness Brady has been a subordinate of the House of Lords since 2014 and has served arsenic 1 of Lord Sugar's assistants connected The Apprentice for 16 years.