Police investigate more people over Al Fayed abuse

The Metropolitan Police has said it is investigating more than five people it believes may have assisted or enabled Mohamed Al Fayed’s sexual offences.

The force launched a new investigation after 90 alleged new victims came forward following a BBC documentary which revealed the extent of the billionaire's predatory behaviour.

It was previously revealed the force had been contacted by 21 alleged victims before the documentary was released.

Despite that, Al Fayed died last year having faced no criminal charges.

It is thought the timescale for the new allegations is between 1977 and 2014 with the youngest victim aged 13 years old.

Cdr Steve Clayman from the Metropolitan Police said the investigation - called operation Cornpoppy - would look at what role individuals "may have played in facilitating or enabling his offending, and what opportunities they had to protect victims from his horrendous abuse."

"I recognise the bravery of every victim-survivor who has come forward to share their experiences, often after years of silence," he said.

"This investigation is 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.

"We are aware that past events may have impacted the public's trust and confidence in our approach, and we are determined to rebuild that trust by addressing these allegations with integrity and thoroughness.”

• Al Fayed abuse ‘could be on scale of Savile’, says survivors’ advocate
• Watchdog to review police handling of Al Fayed abuse claims
• Harrods boss tells BBC he is 'dreadfully sorry' for Al Fayed abuse

The Metropolitan Police have also launched an internal review which will look at all previous investigations to identify any missed opportunities. The force has already looked at more than 50,000 pages of evidence, including victim and impact statements.

Earlier this month, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed it was reviewing two cases the Metropolitan Police investigated in 2008 and 2013 after it referred itself.

The force said it had received complaints from two women regarding previous police investigations. The complaints "address concerns about the quality of police response and how details came to be disclosed publicly", a statement from the Metropolitan Police said.

Gemma, a former Harrods employee who has claimed she was sexually assaulted and harassed by Fayed, previously told the BBC that he "felt like such a powerful man with so much money".

She added that he had "so many professional people around him that were facilitating everything he did".

"It just felt like little old me from a small town outside of London is never going to stand a chance against him".

Zoe Billingham, formerly HM's Inspector of Constabulary, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday that it was "quite right that the Met should go back and look at its investigations and see if there's new evidence for criminal prosecutions to be put forward".

But she added: "The broader question is could this now happen again. If women came forward today making allegations against rich and powerful men, would they be treated as they were in the past … and basically dismissed."

Al Fayed, who died aged 94, owned Harrods between 1985 and 2010.

In response to this latest investigation, a spokesperson for the department store said they "wholeheartedly" support it.

They said: "We have an open, direct and ongoing line of communication with the Met Police for the benefit of the survivors.

"We continue to encourage all survivors to engage with the Met Police and we welcome the investigation in supporting survivors in their wider pursuit of justice."

The store's new owners have previously said they are "appalled" by the allegations of sexual abuse and have been investigating since 2023 whether any current members of staff were involved.

The retailer has declined to give any details of whether any action has been taken against any individual or when the review might be completed.

As well as targeting Harrods' employees, Al Fayed is alleged to have also abused women at other businesses he owned, including the Ritz Paris hotel and Fulham FC.

Earlier this month, BBC News revealed that the Met Police was told of allegations of sexual assault by Mohamed Al Fayed a decade earlier than it had previously acknowledged.

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If you are affected by issues of sexual assault you can contact the BBC Action Line here.