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Police now investigating abuse claims against Mohamed Al Fayed from 90 victims


Mohamed Al Fayed

The new claims relate to allegations of rape and sexual assault and span nearly 40 years between 1977 and 2014 (Picture: Reuters)

Ninety further victims have been identified by detectives investigating Mohamed Al Fayed and the sex abuse scandal.

The new claims relate to allegations of rape and sexual assault and span nearly 40 years between 1977 and 2014, with the youngest victim-survivor aged just 13 at the time of the alleged attack.

A total of 150 complainants came forward following the airing of a BBC documentary, Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods, in September, the Metropolitan Police said.

The force is also investigating at least half a dozen people suspected of ‘facilitating’ the late billionaire’s campaign of abuse.

Al Fayed’s network of suspected enablers is said to have included members of his personal security team, the luxury department store’s PR staff and medics hired to test victims for sexually transmitted diseases before he raped them, according to the BBC.

The Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards will examine if any serving or former officers were involved in misconduct that could have enabled him to cover his tracks.

Commander Stephen Clayman said the probe will 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’.

Al Fayed was never charged or prosecuted in relation to any complaints (Picture: BBC News & Current Affairs)

The 90 new victims are in addition to the 21 who came forward before the documentary aired and accused Al Fayed of abuse between 2005 and is death aged 94 in 2023.

The Met has referred itself to the police watchdog over complaints from two of those women about how their allegations were handled.

An internal review is also being carried out into how the force handled claims about Al Fayed while he was alive.

Hundreds more women have come forward to lawyers accusing the tycoon of raping or sexually assaulting them, according to the Justice for Harrods Survivors group.

One legal representative has described it as one of the worst cases of corporate abuse of women ever seen.

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Hundreds more women have come forward to lawyers accusing the tycoon (Picture: ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

Al Fayed was never charged or prosecuted in relation to any complaints.

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

‘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 …read more

Source:: Metro

      

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