Mohamed Al-Fayed: What the latest claims say about the scale of former Harrods’ bosses alleged abuse
The revelation that 111 women have accused Mohamed Al Fayed of abuse is the latest development in a snowballing series of claims against the late former Harrods and Fulham FC boss.
Metropolitan Police said they were investigating five people for allegedly enabling his offending, with allegations including rape spanning a 37-year period, from 1977 to 2014, and involving an alleged 13-year-old victim.
Detectives revealed the latest number of accusers on Tuesday after disclosing a further 90 alleged victims had come forward as they continue their investigation into the historical abuse.
How did we get here?
Allegations against Fayed were first published by Vanity Fair in 1995, and ITV reported claims of sexual harassment and groping two years later.
A total of 21 women approached Scotland Yard prior to the BBC aired a documentary last month.
In 2009, the Metropolitan Police brought the first case of a woman coming forward with allegations to the Crown Prosecution Service.
However, it was decided not to proceed with charges in this case – and a second in 2015 – because there was no “realistic prospect of conviction”.
The Met sought “early investigative advice” from the CPS after 10 other allegations, but no further action was taken.
Seven allegations resulted in no further action, while two claims were not referred as Fayed had already died.
Who has come forward?
Police said this week more than 150 people had contacted them after the BBC documentary, while a team of lawyers operating under the banner Justice for Harrods Survivors said last month more than 420 victims and witnesses had contacted them.
Lawyer Bruce Drummond warned that “the scale of it is absolutely horrifying”, as he declared last month the team had credible evidence of abuse by Fayed at Fulham FC, Park Lane residencies, his estate in Surrey, his aircraft, the Ritz Hotel in Paris, Villa Windsor in France, and on his yacht in St Tropez.
Model Bianca Gascoigne, the daughter of former England footballer Paul Gascoigne, alleged in October that Mohamed al-Fayed groomed and sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager working at Harrods.
Former Fulham Ladies captain Ronnie Gibbons recently alleged she was twice sexually assaulted by the businessman, claiming Fayed assaulted her in an office at Harrods in Knightsbridge.
Police response
The Met insists its past investigations into the businessman “were extensive and conducted by specialist teams who sought charging decisions from the CPS on two occasions”.
Even so, Scotland Yard is reviewing previous investigations to identify any missed opportunities to stop the late businessman, with the results of an internal review to be published next month.
Commander Stephen Clayman, of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said he was “aware past events may have impacted the public’s trust” in police and the force was determined to rebuild public confidence.
“I recognise the bravery of every victim-survivor who has come forward to share their experiences, often after years of silence,” he said.
What about Harrods?
Harrods’ current owners have said they are “utterly appalled” by the allegations and are carrying out an internal review into whether current staff were involved in the allegations “directly or indirectly”.
Dame Jasvinder Sanghera was appointed by the department store as an independent advocate to address the needs of the late billionaire’s victims. Speaking to the BBC recently, Dame Jasvinder said she has seen evidence Fayed’s “tentacles went far and wide” as she discussed the scale of the abuse.
“We could be talking about something on the scale of Jimmy Savile,” she said.
Now Fayed is dead, who could be held to account?
Commander Clayman said the investigation was “about giving survivors a voice, despite the fact that Mohamed al-Fayed is no longer alive to face prosecution.
“However, we are now pursuing any individuals suspected to have been complicit in his offending, and we are committed to seeking justice,” he said this week.
Detectives are working to establish what roles those individuals may have played in assisting and facilitating Fayed’s offending.
Last month it was revealed more than 250 people were settling compensation claims with Harrods over alleged historic sexual misconduct by Fayed.