Round 60 ladies have now come ahead to allege they had been sexually abused by former Harrods proprietor Mohamed Al-Fayed, legal professionals representing them stated on Friday (September 27, 2024).
“The response has merely been monumental… We will affirm that we now symbolize 60 survivors as a part of our declare, with extra to return,” the legal professionals stated in a press release.
British police known as on Thursday for anybody with allegations in opposition to former Harrods proprietor Mohamed Al-Fayed to return ahead and stated it could look to prosecute others after a number of ladies accused the late billionaire of sexual abuse and rape.
A BBC documentary aired final week stated Al-Fayed had sexually abused feminine employees at his London division retailer Harrods and had threatened them in the event that they tried to complain. It stated the corporate had didn’t intervene and helped to cowl up abuse allegations throughout his possession from 1985 to 2010.
Though Al-Fayed himself died final yr, aged 94, London’s Metropolitan Police stated it could discover whether or not every other people might be pursued for felony offences.
“It’s important that any victims have a voice and are in a position to report any allegations in the event that they haven’t performed so earlier than, and know that they are going to be taken critically,” stated Stephen Clayman, head of specialist crime on the Metropolitan Police.
“We’ve specialist groups to make sure all these victims who make contact with us are supported in one of the simplest ways doable.”
Attorneys representing ladies alleging rape and sexual assault in opposition to Al-Fayed stated that they had obtained greater than 150 new enquiries from ladies.
Harrods, which was bought by Al-Fayed to the funding car of the Qatar royal household in 2010, has stated in response to the allegations that it was “completely appalled”.
A number of media organisations had uncovered allegations of sexual abuse in opposition to Al-Fayed up to now, together with Self-importance Truthful in 1995, Britain’s ITV in 1997 and Channel 4 in 2017. Most of the ladies solely felt in a position to converse publicly after his loss of life.
In 2009, prosecutors determined to not cost Al-Fayed over a declare that he had sexually assaulted a 15-year-old woman in his retailer, saying there was no practical prospect of conviction.
He at all times denied the accusations.
Revealed – September 27, 2024 04:46 pm IST
