Former Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed accused of sexual abuse

The former owner of luxury department store Harrods, has been accused of sexually abusing more than 30 ex-employees whilst they worked for him.

Mohamed al Fayed owned the London-based store between 1985 and 2010 after moving over from the middle east.

However, former employees have now come forward to speak of the culture of abuse at Harrods during his reign, with ‘pretty, young’ girls said to have been targeted by him.

One woman told the BBC how she was subjected to a “sickening” sexual assault after being invited to his London flat for a work meeting.

Melanie worked at Harrods for a few years prior to 2010. She described being hired there as a 21-year-old as a “dream job”.

She met Fayed – who was in his late seventies at the time – at work meetings on two occasions, before being summoned to his apartment on London’s Park Lane in late 2007.

Melanie says she went to the evening meeting despite the invitation “ringing the alarm bells”.

She was shown into the sitting room by a housekeeper.

Melanie continued: “He sat down next to me, talking to me for a few minutes, not very long… He had asked that I return a couple of weeks later to stay at the apartments the night before the Harrods sale, and I could go to the Harrods sale with him, and I could meet the celebrity that was opening it.

“And he would not really let me leave until I agreed to that, so I said yes to be able to leave. I did not go back.

“As I stood to leave, that’s when he put his hands on my breast and said some pretty disgusting things. And I was in complete shock. I just turned around and walked out.”

Other women told the BBC there were “rumours swirling” around the store about Fayed’s conduct, with his private office being described as a “modelling agency” full of young women.

Other women who worked at Harrods have painted a picture of Fayed as a predator who abused his position to prey on staff, and used his power to deter them from speaking out.

Some former employees recounted how he would tour his department store and identify young female assistants he found attractive, before promoting them to work his private office.

Ex-staff told the BBC this abuse was an open secret at the store. One said: “We all watched each other walk through that door thinking, ‘you poor girl, it’s you today’ and feeling utterly powerless to stop it.”

As well as inside Harrods itself and his Mayfair home, women have described incidents involving Fayed on trips to Paris, St Tropez and Abu Dhabi.

Oakwood Solicitors Sexual Abuse Solicitor, Molly Frost, said: “Whilst Al Fayed himself is now deceased those affected may be able to claim against Harrods themselves. There are some complicated legal issues involved but there are legal arguments that responsibility should rest with them and they should compensate these women.

“It is always shocking how often abuse like this does not surface until after the individual has died, as with Jimmy Saville. It just goes to show how both the victims felt unable to come forward during Al Fayed’s lifetime or tried to but felt silenced. Just because someone is rich, famous or in a position of power, it should not put them above the law and I hope these women get justice”.

Sexual abuse claims

If yourself or your child has been a victim of sexual abuse, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

Workplaces should be safe, happy, places where employees can form positive relationships colleagues and employers.

However, unfortunately, abuse in these type of settings is not uncommon. While the general public have increased awareness about abuse it still happens everyday.

What compensation can I claim for?

At Oakwood Solicitors Ltd, we can help you claim compensation:

• General damages – An award of money for the abuse/assaults themselves and for the pain, suffering and any psychological effects.
• Special damages – An award for any specific financial losses we can prove, such as loss of earnings or the cost(s) of any treatment or counselling.
• Aggravated damages – An additional award of money in certain cases where the court considers that there has been additional distress caused by the manner in which the abuse occurred.

Who can make a sexual abuse claim?

If you suffered sexual or physical abuse or assault, you may be able to claim damages in the form of monetary compensation. It does not matter if the abuse occurred many years ago.

If the person who suffered abuse is under 18, the claim can be brought by a parent or close relative.

I have reported the abuse to the police but they were unable to prosecute. Can I still claim?

The criminal process is different to the civil claims process. There are different evidential burdens in both processes, so just because the police did not take your complaint any further, it does not mean that you cannot pursue a civil claim.

The police may still have evidence that will support your civil claim, even if it was not enough for a criminal prosecution.

Why choose Oakwood Solicitors Ltd?

At Oakwood Solicitors, we have dedicated lawyers with over 20 years of experience, acting for survivors of sexual and physical abuse.

We understand how difficult it can be to bring a claim, and we are committed to dealing with your case in a sensitive way.

You will have a dedicated solicitor who will deal with your claim from start to finish, and who will be able to speak to you at times convenient to you – even if this is outside our normal office hours.