Police urge Mohamed al-Fayed victims to come forward as Harrods boss apologises for 'toxic culture of secrecy'
26 September 2024, 13:31 | Updated: 26 September 2024, 14:09
Police have urged potential victims of Mohamed al-Fayed to come forward in the wake of a slew of sexual abuse allegations against the late Harrods owner.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The appeal from the Met comes as the managing director of Harrods publicly apologised to victims after admitting Mohamed al-Fayed "presided over toxic culture of secrecy" in the store that included "sexual misconduct".
Michael Ward, who worked for Al Fayed from 2006 to 2010 and is the current boss of the Kensington department store, has labelled the culture under the multi-millionaire "toxic".
He says he "failed our colleagues and for that we are deeply sorry" following allegations of sexual misconduct within the company.
However, the police appeal saw the force highlight that there remains "no prospect of any conviction" given Al-Fayed is no longer alive.
It comes as five women came forward claiming they were raped at the hands of the former Harrods owner whilst employed by the company.
Widespread abuse allegations at the hands of Al Fayed have now been flagged by more than 150 individuals following a tell-all documentary which aired last week.
The Force said in a statement: "As a result of numerous allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed being reported in the media, we are now asking any potential victim-survivors who may not have come forward before to do so."
"We recognise the significant step many people have already taken in reporting allegations, and know there are many reasons others may have not yet come forward.We must ensure every victim-survivor who has reported offences or is considering reporting has the confidence and ability to speak to us.
The force also vowed to "fully explore" potential allegations, but emphasised that "it is important to make clear at this stage that it is not possible for criminal proceedings to be brought against someone who has died.
Read more: Memorial plans underway for young victims of Southport knife attack as town grapples with aftermath
"This means there is no prospect of any conviction relating to Al Fayed himself," they confirmed.
The late Harrods owner died in 2023 aged 94, with 20 people subsequently coming forward as part of the tell-all BBC documentary.
The businessman owned the department store between 1985 and 2010, with lawyers representing the alleged victims labelling Mr al Fayed a "monster' in a press conference last week.
As part of the statement, Mr Ward expressed his "personal horror" at the allegations made by colleagues.
The statement released by the current Harrods boss reads: "As managing director of Harrods, I wanted to convey my personal horror at the revelations that have emerged over the past week.
"We have all seen the survivors bravely speak about the terrible abuse they suffered at the hands of Harrods former owner Mohamed Fayed.
"As we have already stated, we failed our colleagues and for that we are deeply sorry.
"As someone who has worked at Harrods since 2006, and therefore worked for Fayed until the change of ownership in 2010, I feel it is important to make it clear that I was not aware of his criminality and abuse.
"While it is true that rumours of his behaviour circulated in the public domain, no charges or allegations were ever put to me by the Police, the CPS, internal channels or others.
"Had they been, I would of course have acted immediately."
On Thursday, Harrods said that it had now introduced 50 new "sexual harassment officers" as part of a year-long review.
Commander Stephen Clayman said in response to the victims: “We recognise the significance of the allegations made against Mohamed Al Fayed and the impact this has had on those affected.
"It is vital that any victims have a voice and are able to report any allegations if they have not done so before, and know that they will be taken seriously.
"We have specialist teams to ensure all those victims who make contact with us are supported in the best way possible.
"I understand that for many years many people have sought answers in relation to this case. We will do everything possible to update on our progress when we can, but it is crucial we do this thoroughly and we do it right.
"There are various ways to contact police about your experience by calling the Complex Investigation Team on 020 8217 6582 or 6586 between 8am and 6pm Monday to Sunday"
The force has also said the public can call 101 at any time, quoting CAD1920/26Sep.
