LONDON – The independent police oversight body in Britain is currently evaluating complaints lodged by two women regarding the Metropolitan Police’s handling of their allegations of sexual misconduct against the former Harrods owner, Mohamed Al Fayed.
Authorities have been examining a series of allegations pertaining to rape and sexual assault against the late billionaire, who owned the prominent London department store. Al Fayed passed away last year at the age of 94 without having faced any criminal charges.
In a statement released late on Friday, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that they had referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct following the recent emergence of the two women, who raised concerns about how their reports were managed when they were initially presented to authorities in 2008 and 2013.
Stephen Clayman, a member of the police’s specialist crime unit, acknowledged the situation, stating, “While we cannot alter the past, we are committed to providing every individual who reaches out to us with the highest level of service and support.”
The police oversight agency indicated that it would assess the information they received to determine if further action is warranted.
Since the broadcasting of allegations by former employees of Harrods via the BBC in September, claims against Al Fayed have intensified. Both police and Harrods executives have faced scrutiny for the lack of action taken against Al Fayed during his lifetime. Notably, he was interviewed by detectives in 2008 regarding allegations of sexual abuse involving a 15-year-old, with police submitting evidence concerning him to prosecutors in both 2009 and 2015, though he was never charged.
Clayman added that law enforcement is “actively reviewing” a total of 21 allegations of sexual crimes made against Al Fayed before his death, to see if further investigations can be pursued.
In addition to the aforementioned cases, the police reported that since September, an additional 40 women have come forward with allegations of rape or sexual misconduct against the tycoon.
Al Fayed, who emigrated from Egypt to the UK in the 1960s, acquired Harrods in the mid-1980s, then sold it in 2010 to a company owned by the state of Qatar via the Qatar Investment Authority.
Michael Ward, the current managing director of Harrods, has expressed regret to former employees who have alleged they were sexually assaulted by Al Fayed. Ward remarked that it is evident Al Fayed “presided over a toxic culture of secrecy, intimidation, fear of repercussion, and sexual misconduct.”