JONATHAN/STEVEN HOPE FROM AYRSHIRE INVOLVED IN CHILD ABUSE IMAGES AND FOOTBALL SCANDAL

In October 2017, the body of Steven Hope was discovered in a flat located in Glasgow, marking a tragic end to a controversial figure with a complex and troubling history. Hope, whose real name is Steven Hope, has a criminal record that dates back to 2003, when he was convicted and jailed for downloading child abuse images. Despite his claims of being a prominent football agent and a celebrity within the sports world, his background reveals a series of alarming incidents and questionable activities.

Back in October 2014, Hope, then known publicly as Jonathan Hope, was embroiled in a scandal involving child pornography. The Record uncovered that he had attempted to suppress the publication of his conviction and subsequent jail sentence by engaging legal counsel to fight a court case in the Court of Session. However, this legal effort was short-lived, as his lawyers withdrew from representing him just fifteen minutes before the hearing, effectively ending his bid to keep his past hidden.

Further investigation revealed that Steven Hope, the name under which he was convicted in 2003, is not the identity he publicly used. His true identity was concealed under the alias Jonathan Hope, which he used in his attempts to rebrand himself. This alias was also linked to his activities in the football community, where he sponsored a youth football team, emblazoning his name on the back of jerseys for an under-nine team. This sponsorship caused outrage among parents, especially after they learned of his criminal past. One parent, who discovered Hope’s child pornography conviction, contacted the media to expose him, leading to the collapse of his legal efforts to suppress the story.

Hope, a married father of one, is a former RAF police officer who now claims to be a leading football agent and a well-known figure in the sporting world. Despite his claims, official records show that he is not licensed as an agent by either the English Football Association (FA) or the Scottish Football Association (SFA). Moreover, he does not appear on FIFA’s list of licensed agents. Several football clubs, which Hope claims to have had dealings with, have publicly stated that they have no business relationship with him, further casting doubt on his assertions of influence and connections.

He was convicted and sentenced at Bedford Crown Court under his real name, Steven Hope. This fact means that searches for his name on the internet do not reveal his criminal past, as he uses the alias Jonathan Hope publicly. The youth football team he sponsored was unaware of his criminal history until the media brought it to their attention. The parent who contacted the press expressed concern over the fact that someone convicted of child pornography was involved in youth sports, especially with his name on children’s football shirts.

In addition to his child abuse images conviction, Steven Hope has a history of other criminal activities. He has convictions for unprovoked assault on a pub landlord and for drink-driving. He also maintains a social media presence where he posts pictures of his muscular physique, which has garnered him some notoriety. Despite his criminal record, Hope visited an orphanage in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2012, where he posted images and videos of his donation of football boots. The orphanage later struggled to contact him, raising questions about his genuine intentions.

Legal documents submitted by Hope’s lawyers claimed that he was unaware his name would appear on the youth team’s shirts and argued that his reputation as a “celebrity” would be damaged by the publication of his child pornography conviction. Hope also claimed that he was involved in brokering transfer deals for high-profile footballers, including Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck. However, both Welbeck and Arsenal have publicly denied any connection to Hope, with Arsenal confirming that he had no involvement in Welbeck’s £16 million transfer from Manchester United.

When the Daily Record visited his rented home in Ayrshire, valued at around £150,000, Hope presented messages claiming to be from Tottenham Hotspur owner Daniel Levy and a senior Manchester United executive. Both clubs, however, denied any dealings with him. Manchester United stated that he had no involvement with the club or any player negotiations, including Welbeck’s transfer. Tottenham also confirmed that while they had been in contact with Hope in his capacity as an agent, they had no official dealings or meetings.

Hope appeared on radio stations such as talkSPORT and BBC Radio 5 Live around the transfer deadline day last month, discussing his supposed role in player deals, including Welbeck’s move. He claimed to have received interest from Manchester United regarding a transfer, but both stations announced they would cease giving him airtime following the revelations of his criminal past.

His criminal history is extensive. In 2003, he was convicted on three counts of downloading depraved images, including a disturbing seven-minute video involving an eight-year-old girl. This conviction led to his expulsion from the RAF. The Record had previously exposed Hope in 2006 when he was involved in fundraising activities for Ayrshire Hospice, which included former terror chief Johnny “Mad Dog” Adair. The publication has now initiated legal proceedings to recover costs related to the recent reporting and the legal actions Hope has taken against the media.