Metropolitan Police Sent Alleged Al Fayed Victim’s Details to Wrong Person
The Metropolitan Police mistakenly transmitted the personal details of Joanna Brittan, including her address, contact number, and date of birth, to a separate alleged victim based in Australia. Ms Brittan had provided a statement to Devon & Cornwall police in 2017, detailing allegations of trafficking by the late Harrods owner, Mohamed Al Fayed, and sexual abuse by one of his business associates. The statement was subsequently transferred to the Met Police.
Ms Brittan, who has waived her anonymity, described the force as “shambolic, incompetent and complicit” following the error. The data breach, attributed to human error, has reportedly been flagged to the Information Commissioner's Office, with a payment offered to Ms Brittan.
The Home Office recently confirmed “reasonable grounds” to believe Ms Brittan was a victim of modern slavery and trafficking, initiating further investigation into her case. Jasvinder Sanghera, an Independent Survivor Advocate, labelled the incident as “absolutely appalling”, questioning confidence in existing processes for survivors.
The Met launched ‘Operation Cornpoppy’ in November 2024 to investigate individuals who may have facilitated offending by Al Fayed, despite over 200 women having come forward prior to his death in 2023 without facing charges. Ms Brittan's criminal allegations against Al Fayed are understood to form part of this ongoing operation.
It emerged last month that a serving Metropolitan Police officer and four former officers are under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) for potential misconduct concerning their handling of sexual abuse reports against Al Fayed.
