Dan Wootton No Longer Being Investigated over Sexual Assault Allegations

THE TELEGRAPH: Met Police to take no further action after GB News host accused of using online pseudonym to offer money to colleagues for explicit material

Dan Wootton remains suspended over his programme in which he and his guest, Laurence Fox, made remarks about Ava Evans | CREDIT: GB NEWS
Police have dropped their investigation into Dan Wootton, the GB News presenter, over alleged sexual offences.

Wootton, 40, was accused of using an online pseudonym to offer thousands of pounds to colleagues in exchange for explicit material.

The Metropolitan Police said that it had been contacted in June 2023 with allegations of sexual offences committed by a man in his 40s.

A spokesman said: “Officers assessed all information available to establish whether any criminal offence has taken place.

“An investigation was commenced into these allegations. All parties involved have now been advised that no further action will be taken. There were no arrests during the investigation.”

Wootton said he had also been cleared in a second investigation conducted by Police Scotland. » | Anita Singh, Entertainment Editor | Wednesday, February 21, 2024 [£]

Dan Wootton Sacked by MailOnline a Day after GB News Suspension

THE GUARDIAN: Journalist’s column and contract terminated after comments made by Laurence Fox on his GB News show

DMG Media said Dan Wootton’s contract had been terminated ‘following events this week’.Photograph: Gemma Gravett/GB News/PA
Dan Wootton has been sacked by MailOnline the day after he was suspended by GB News for his part in an on-air discussion with actor Laurence Fox about a female journalist.

The TV anchor has been suspended from his lucrative MailOnline column since the summer over accusations he used the pseudonym “Martin Branning” to send sexually explicit messages to former colleagues. GB News declined to investigate these claims of inappropriate sexual behaviour against one of their star presenters, arguing they were alleged to have happened at a former employer.

As a result Wootton continued presenting his primetime nightly show on GB News until this week, when he was suspended over his role in a discussion with Fox about the appearance of a female journalist.

MailOnline has now ended Wootton’s contract, which was understood to give the journalist a six-figure salary in return for two columns a week.

A spokesperson for DMG Media, the parent company of MailOnline, said: “Following events this week, DMG Media can confirm that Dan Wootton’s freelance column with MailOnline – which had already been paused – has now been terminated, along with his contract.” » | Jim Waterson, Media editor | Thursday, September 28, 2023

Related article here.

Ofcom investigates GB News after 7,300 complaints: Media regular Ofcom has launched an investigation into the Dan Wootton Tonight show on GB News after a sexism row sparked 7,300 complaints. »

Dan Wootton sacked by MailOnline as Ofcom investigates GB News scandal: Regulator received 7,300 complaints after Laurence Fox’s sexist comments about female journalist on the presenter’s show »

GB News Suspends Dan Wootton after Laurence Fox’s Remarks on Show

THE GUARDIAN: Broadcaster says it is conducting full investigation after also suspending Fox

GB News presenter Dan Wootton. Photograph: Gemma Gravett/GB News/PA
GB News has suspended the presenter Dan Wootton as the channel struggles to contain the fallout after misogynistic comments made on his show by Laurence Fox.

The rightwing news channel said on Wednesday: “GB News has suspended Dan Wootton following comments made on his programme by Laurence Fox last night. This follows our decision earlier today to formally suspend Mr Fox. We are conducting a full investigation.”

GB News has refused repeatedly to investigate Wootton over separate, unrelated, allegations that he used the pseudonym Martin Branning to send sexually explicit messages to former colleagues.

Wootton, 40, is already facing investigations by both MailOnline, which has suspended him, and his former employers at News UK over these historical claims. As a result he is now being investigated by three separate media groups over a variety of issues. » | Jim Waterson, Media editor | Wednesday, September 27, 2023

GB News Will Not Investigate Claims against Presenter Dan Wootton

THE GUARDIAN: Journalist accused of using pseudonym to solicit sexual images from former colleagues at the Sun

GB News has said it will not investigate claims of inappropriate behaviour made against star presenter Dan Wootton because none of the accusations relate to his work for the channel.

Wootton, who has a nightly show on the rightwing news channel, has been accused of using a pseudonym to solicit explicit images from former colleagues at the Sun over many years. The presenter has not directly denied the allegations but says he is the victim of a smear campaign by unknown forces who want to shut down his political views.

The GB News chief executive, Angelos Frangopoulos, told the culture select committee he is monitoring “serious allegations” against his primetime presenter but “none of these allegations have been admitted or proved by an independent body”. » | Jim Waterson, Media editor | Thursday, September 21, 2023

Dan Wootton Allegedly Used Martin Branning Pseudonym to Meet Male Model

THE GUARDIAN: OnlyFans performer claims journalist went by same name allegedly used to offer ex-Sun colleagues money for sexual images

Wootton has neither confirmed nor denied that he used the Martin Branning pseudonym and an associated email address. Photograph: Gemma Gravett/GB News/PA
It has been three weeks since allegations against the outspoken broadcaster Dan Wootton emerged.

Since then, he has continued to present his regular show on GB News while the publishers of the Sun and MailOnline have begun separate investigations, and an MP has asked questions about inquiries into the conduct of the rightwing polemicist. A central allegation is that Wootton was using a pseudonym, Martin Branning.

Someone who called themselves Martin Branning has been accused of allegedly offering Wootton’s former Sun colleagues thousands of pounds in return for explicit material.

Now a new witness has come forward to claim “Martin Branning” and Dan Wootton were one and the same man. » | Jim Waterson, Media editor | Monday, August 7, 2023

The Dan Wootton Allegations Explained | ITV News

Aug 4, 2023 | GB News presenter Dan Wootton has been suspended by the Mail Online over 'serious allegations', pending an investigation. The journalist's not directly addressed the published allegations, but in a lengthy statement on GB News he said claims made on social media about him were a 'smear campaign'.

Dan Wootton’s MailOnline column paused amid ‘series of allegations’: GB News star, who is accused of offering colleagues money in exchange for explicit material, insists any ‘criminal allegations’ are untrue »

MailOnline suspends Dan Wootton as allegations investigated: Journalist denies claims he used pseudonym to secretly offer colleagues tens of thousands of pounds for sexual material »

News UK Hires Lawyers to Look at Claims against Former Sun Columnist

THE GUARDIAN: Dan Wootton accused of offering Sun colleagues tens of thousands of pounds for sexual material

Wootton remains on air at GB News, where he delivered a six-minute monologue responding to the claims on Tuesday night. Photograph: Gemma Gravett/GB News/PA
The Sun’s parent company has hired external lawyers to help investigate “very serious” allegations regarding Dan Wootton’s time at the tabloid, the Guardian has been told.

Wootton is facing allegations he used a pseudonym to secretly offer current and former Sun colleagues tens of thousands of pounds in return for sexual material[.]

Rupert Murdoch’s News UK asked staff to contact its most senior lawyer if they have any information regarding the claims. They promised that all information would be treated in confidence, offered counselling services to anyone affected, and asked employees not to talk to journalists while inquiries were under way. Employees were told: “The matters reported are obviously very serious and include allegations that certain actions of Mr Wootton may have affected some members of staff at the Sun.”

A source at News UK said the company had also employed external legal counsel to advise and assist with its investigation. » | Jim Waterson and Emine Sinmaz | Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Related.

Sun and Mail Publishers Examine Claims against Journalist Dan Wootton

THE GUARDIAN: GB News presenter facing allegations he inappropriately offered colleagues large sums in return for sexual material

Many of the allegations against Dan Wootton relate to the time when he was employed by the Sun. Photograph: Gemma Gravett/GB News/PA
The publishers behind the Sun and MailOnline are looking into allegations that Dan Wootton inappropriately offered colleagues tens of thousands of pounds in return for sexual material.

Wootton’s ex-boyfriend claimed last week that Wootton, who is now a presenter on GB News, used the pseudonym “Martin Branning” and offered individuals large sums of money in return for filming themselves carrying out sex acts.

Alex Truby alleged he made the discovery after accessing Wootton’s hard drive in 2013 and seeing emails mentioning the pseudonym.

On Monday, the website Byline Times went further and published a story claiming that an anonymous “trusted former colleague” of the GB News anchor had come forward to say Wootton used the Branning name. The Guardian has not been able to independently establish the link between Branning and Wootton. » | Jim Waterson, Media editor | Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Dan Wootton: GB News host admits 'errors of judgement': Broadcaster Dan Wootton has admitted making "errors of judgement in the past" but denied any criminality as he responded to claims made against him. »

Watch: Dan Wootton admits ‘errors of judgment’ but claims he is victim of ‘witch hunt’: GB News presenter addresses allegations he offered media colleagues thousands of pounds for explicit material »