Paul Drayton Says He Was Targeted in Alleged Grindr Blackmail Plot
by Chris Tremblay Sep 1
3 MIN READ
Paul Drayton says he was targeted by an alleged blackmailer who threatened to release intimate images he had sent to another person through Grindr.
Drayton, a comedian and actor who was previously married to television presenter Alan Carr, has described the experience in an interview with The Sun and in posts shared on his Instagram account .
Sussex Police confirmed to The Sun that it was aware of the allegation and had “engaged with the informant.” PinkNews reported that officers later interviewed Drayton and that the force was investigating.
The police confirmation establishes that Drayton made a report and that contact took place, but it does not establish the identity of the person responsible or whether a criminal offence has been proved.
According to PinkNews, Drayton said on 24 June that an account contacted him and sent him one of his own intimate images.
He said the image was one he had sent to another person on Grindr.
The sender allegedly threatened to make the image public unless Drayton paid money.
The Sun reported that the demand was for $5,000 in cryptocurrency or iTunes gift vouchers, while its headline and article also described the amount as approximately £4,000.
The different currency descriptions reflect the newspaper’s reporting of the alleged messages and should not be treated as an independently verified payment record.
Drayton told The Sun that the person behind the messages appeared to use several WhatsApp accounts.
The accounts reportedly used profile images of men whom Drayton described as attractive, shirtless or presenting themselves as potential contacts.
Drayton said he believed someone may have used a second phone to photograph images that were intended to disappear after being viewed on Grindr.
That account is Drayton’s stated belief and has not been confirmed by Sussex Police in the reporting reviewed for this article.
Drayton initially appeared to treat the messages lightly, posting a video captioned “Don’t send nudes kids!” with the hashtag “funny,” according to PinkNews.
He said he was later advised to report the threats to police.
On 5 August, he shared what he described as a third threat on Instagram and included the images and messages in an attempt to raise awareness of the alleged conduct.
“I have nothing to hide and am posting this to raise awareness on how this goes on,” Drayton wrote in the post, according to PinkNews.
He also wrote that he had no intention of paying and had instead tried to obtain as much information as possible.
Drayton later told The Sun that receiving the images caused an immediate physical reaction.
“When I first got a message and those pictures, my blood ran cold, it’s like your nervous system goes into high alert,” he said.
Drayton said he was concerned by the possibility that people were monitoring him, while acknowledging that his public Instagram account made information about him accessible.
He told the alleged blackmailer to “feel free” to publish the images.
The account reported by the three publications concerns an allegation, and no arrest, charge or conviction has been reported in the available coverage.
Sussex Police’s statement, as reported by The Sun, did not provide details about the suspected sender, the alleged communications or the status of any forensic investigation.
The reporting therefore supports the narrower finding that Drayton says he received threats involving intimate images, reported the matter to police and spoke publicly about it.
The case also illustrates the risks faced by people using dating platforms when private sexual images are copied, retained or used to make threats.
The sources reviewed do not establish whether the alleged sender obtained the images through a technical breach, by photographing them with another device or through another method.
Drayton was married to Carr from 2018 until 2022, after the pair had been together for 13 years, according to PinkNews and The Sun.
The couple’s previous relationship is relevant to the story because it explains why the allegation has received public attention, but neither Carr nor his representatives was identified in the reports as a participant in the alleged blackmail.
Drayton has also recently released a memoir titled Ride – Or Die Trying.
His decision to discuss the allegation publicly followed several posts documenting the contact and his decision not to make the demanded payment.
As of the latest reports, Sussex Police had confirmed awareness of the allegation and engagement with Drayton, while the identity of the alleged blackmailer and the ultimate outcome of the investigation remained unreported.
Sussex Police confirmed to The Sun that it was aware of the allegation and had “engaged with the informant.” PinkNews reported that officers later interviewed Drayton and that the force was investigating.
The police confirmation establishes that Drayton made a report and that contact took place, but it does not establish the identity of the person responsible or whether a criminal offence has been proved.
How the contact began
According to PinkNews, Drayton said on 24 June that an account contacted him and sent him one of his own intimate images.
He said the image was one he had sent to another person on Grindr.
The sender allegedly threatened to make the image public unless Drayton paid money.
The Sun reported that the demand was for $5,000 in cryptocurrency or iTunes gift vouchers, while its headline and article also described the amount as approximately £4,000.
The different currency descriptions reflect the newspaper’s reporting of the alleged messages and should not be treated as an independently verified payment record.
Drayton told The Sun that the person behind the messages appeared to use several WhatsApp accounts.
The accounts reportedly used profile images of men whom Drayton described as attractive, shirtless or presenting themselves as potential contacts.
Drayton said he believed someone may have used a second phone to photograph images that were intended to disappear after being viewed on Grindr.
That account is Drayton’s stated belief and has not been confirmed by Sussex Police in the reporting reviewed for this article.
Drayton’s response
Drayton initially appeared to treat the messages lightly, posting a video captioned “Don’t send nudes kids!” with the hashtag “funny,” according to PinkNews.
He said he was later advised to report the threats to police.
On 5 August, he shared what he described as a third threat on Instagram and included the images and messages in an attempt to raise awareness of the alleged conduct.
“I have nothing to hide and am posting this to raise awareness on how this goes on,” Drayton wrote in the post, according to PinkNews.
He also wrote that he had no intention of paying and had instead tried to obtain as much information as possible.
Drayton later told The Sun that receiving the images caused an immediate physical reaction.
“When I first got a message and those pictures, my blood ran cold, it’s like your nervous system goes into high alert,” he said.
Drayton said he was concerned by the possibility that people were monitoring him, while acknowledging that his public Instagram account made information about him accessible.
He told the alleged blackmailer to “feel free” to publish the images.
Police involvement and wider context
The account reported by the three publications concerns an allegation, and no arrest, charge or conviction has been reported in the available coverage.
Sussex Police’s statement, as reported by The Sun, did not provide details about the suspected sender, the alleged communications or the status of any forensic investigation.
The reporting therefore supports the narrower finding that Drayton says he received threats involving intimate images, reported the matter to police and spoke publicly about it.
The case also illustrates the risks faced by people using dating platforms when private sexual images are copied, retained or used to make threats.
The sources reviewed do not establish whether the alleged sender obtained the images through a technical breach, by photographing them with another device or through another method.
Drayton’s public profile
Drayton was married to Carr from 2018 until 2022, after the pair had been together for 13 years, according to PinkNews and The Sun.
The couple’s previous relationship is relevant to the story because it explains why the allegation has received public attention, but neither Carr nor his representatives was identified in the reports as a participant in the alleged blackmail.
Drayton has also recently released a memoir titled Ride – Or Die Trying.
His decision to discuss the allegation publicly followed several posts documenting the contact and his decision not to make the demanded payment.
As of the latest reports, Sussex Police had confirmed awareness of the allegation and engagement with Drayton, while the identity of the alleged blackmailer and the ultimate outcome of the investigation remained unreported.
Copyright EDGE Media Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
