Forty new allegations against Al Fayed made to police
- Published
Forty new allegations from 40 different people that include sexual assault and rape against former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed have been made to the Metropolitan Police.
The new allegations cover a period between 1979 and 2013.
It comes after a BBC documentary and podcast heard testimony from former Harrods employees who said the billionaire sexually assaulted or raped them.
The force had urged anyone who had not previously come forward with allegations to do so and said it would review historical complaints.
Since the documentary first aired, a further 65 women have contacted the BBC saying they were abused by Mohamed Al Fayed, with allegations stretching beyond Harrods and as far back as 1977.
Al Fayed, who died aged 94 in 2023, took over the luxury department store in 1985 and sold it in 2010.
The Metropolitan Police said the 40 new allegations are in addition to the 21 allegations they were aware of prior to the broadcast of the BBC documentary.
Whilst there is no prospect of conviction against Al Fayed, the Metropolitan Police said it continues to explore whether any other individuals could be pursued for any criminal offences.
Cdr Stephen Clayman said: “Since the broadcast of the documentary and our recent appeal, detectives have received numerous pieces of information, predominantly relating to the activities of Mohamed Al Fayed but some relating to the actions of others."
The force is continuing to appeal to anyone who has been a victim of Al Fayed or has information relating to those who facilitated his offending.
It added a full review of previous allegations continues and it has identified 21 separate allegations reported to the force about Al Fayed prior to the BBC broadcast.
The review will ensure there are no new lines of enquiry based on information that has emerged and will liaise with the Directorate of Professional Standards if needed.
Many people will be astonished that a man can be accused of sexual offences by 21 women and not be charged.
And, given that 40 further women have approached the Met since the BBC film, there are now mounting questions about the quality of the Met’s earlier enquiries.
The force is conducting an internal review and the police watchdog has asked if anything needs to be referred to it for investigation.
Last month the BBC heard testimony from more than 20 female ex-Harrods employees who accuse the billionaire of sexual assault and rape.
The documentary and podcast - Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods - gathered evidence that, during Al Fayed’s ownership, Harrods not only failed to intervene, but helped cover up abuse allegations.
Harrods’ current owners said they were “utterly appalled” by the allegations and that his victims had been failed - for which the store sincerely apologised.
The department store is also carrying out an independent review which began in 2023.
Since the broadcast, dozens of women have contacted the BBC to say they were abused by Al Fayed.
On Thursday, the BBC reported 65 women contacted the broadcaster to say there were abused by Al Fayed, with allegations stretching beyond Harrods and as far back as 1977.
It suggests he used a broader range of abuse tactics and also targeted women employed outside his businesses.
Several of the new 65 women interviewed allege they were recruited by Al Fayed under false pretences into roles on the billionaire’s domestic staff and were then sexually exploited by him - including at his mansion in Oxted.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), has told the BBC it has asked the Metropolitan Police whether anything needs to be referred to it for investigation and internal force review is ongoing.
An IOPC spokesperson said: “Following the TV documentary on Mohamed Al-Fayed, we contacted the Metropolitan Police Service to see whether it had received any related complaints or identified any conduct issues which would require a referral to the IOPC."
The Met Police is conducting a review, the spokesperson added, and the watchdog has not yet had any referrals about the force's handling of the allegations.
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A BBC investigation into allegations of rape and attempted rape by Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of Harrods. Did the luxury store protect a billionaire predator?
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