An Open Letter from David McIntosh

28 September 2014
I am not angry, I am just deeply upset by the story that was published in The
Sun newspaper and other media outlets today.
I rarely address inaccurate press stories but believe I must speak up about
the hurtful allegations today...
I became friends with Sarah Harper 7 years ago but only properly began
spending time with her after going through a very traumatic breakup with
my son!s mother. "s well as the stress of the breakup, I had #nished working
out at sea on stressful, and sometimes dangerous, antipiracy operations and
was drawn to Sarah!s happygolucky party spirit. I viewed Sarah as a friend
but that was all she was... a friend, nothing more$
%efore I began dating &elly, I can con#rm that Sarah and I did go on a handful
of nights out together but it was '(T on a regular basis as was made out in
today!s article. (ur socalled !closeness! lasted for about four months, after
which her constant partying and )selfadmitting* drug use grew very tiring.
Sarah was clearly addicted to drugs however I was not, and am not, a drug
user. +urther more, the allegation that I sent Sarah a te,t claiming to be a
-ket head- is false. .eople who know me know that I dedicate myself to being
incredibly healthy and that I train every single day.
Sarah often asked me to pose for silly pictures when I was drunk and, in
today!s article in The Sun, there is a picture of me purportedly !posing! over
what appears to be white powder on a table. I did not take any drugs on the
night that picture was taken and am very disappointed that Sarah has lied. I
merely )and in hindsight, very stupidly* posed for a -fun- picture at Sarah!s
re/uest. I was clearly into,icated with alcohol in the picture and acted
naively.
(ver time, I realised that being around a heavy drug user such as Sarah was
not good for me and thought it best to end the friendship. However, it came
to light she was under watch by Social Services )Sarah has two children*, and,
although I wanted to end our friendship, I chose to remain in contact with her
because I felt sorry for her and wanted to ensure her kids were (&, as I had
grown very fond of them. I!ve done lots of work over the past several years at
0outh 1entres, teaching kids the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and
knew Sarah was being an irresponsible parent by taking drugs. In fact, I often
pleaded with her to stop taking drugs for the sake of her kids.
2hen I began dating &elly, out of respect to &elly, I decided it was time to
#nally cut all contact with Sarah. 3nfortunately, she didn!t respond well to to
this and blackmailed me, threatening to go to the press with the drug photo
)as published in The Sun today* which she forwarded to me with an unkindly
message. It shocked me, I was so afraid of her threats that I pandered to her
and continued to stay friends with her purely out of fear. I!m far from a weak
man but I was worried the photo would ruin my career and, more importantly,
my relationship with &elly. %eing blackmailed is a horrendous e,perience and
I wouldn!t wish it upon anyone, especially when it concerns something you!re
against.
Seeing as I remained friendly with Sarah, I presumed she wouldn!t act upon
her blackmail threat, but I was very mistaken. It!s clear now that over the
past 4 months she has plotted, schemed and waited to put it out into the
media.
"s for Sarah!s other claim that I slept with her whilst with &elly, it is 5667
untrue and I categorically deny it. I!m incredibly hurt and sickened by Sarah!s
false accusations and believe she has done this out of jealousy and spite
because she knows that, 5* I!m not interested in her romantically and 8* I
only love and want &elly.
I did not cheat on &elly what so ever$ &elly is my 2orld and, other than my
son, she!s the only person I!ve ever truly cared about in my life. 2hilst with
&elly, my te,t e,changes with Sarah were few and far between and there was
never anything inappropriate, 9irtatious or se,ual in them, so it!s perfectly
clear I!m innocent and kept everything with Sarah purely on a platonic level.
0es, I recently invited Sarah to come and party with myself and :icci
;uarnaccio, but that was because :icci wanted a girl to party with and I
viewed Sarah as a goodtime party girl. I then thought twice about it and
realised she probably wasn!t the best person to introduce to :icci, so I /uickly
informed her that we were no longer going out and left it at that.
Since being with &elly, I!ve been so happy. I!ve been focused and working
hard to become the best man I can be. I!m absolutely devastated that Sarah!s
lies have caused &elly to end our engagement but am even more deeply
upset that the woman I thought loved me and was literally my life my would
not stand by me.
In a strange way though, there is a silver lining to all of this because at least
now I can breathe a sigh of relief that my blackmail hell is #nally over and
my conscience is clear.