MPs Seek Police Meeting Over Handling of Mohamed Al Fayed Abuse Claims
A parliamentary group has voiced considerable apprehension regarding the Metropolitan Police’s investigations into historical and current allegations of abuse attributed to Mohamed Al Fayed.
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Survivors of Fayed and Harrods is seeking urgent meetings with both the Met and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The group asserts that survivors require answers concerning the police’s handling of inquiries into individuals who may have enabled the alleged abuse.
The Met is currently examining the abuse allegations, while the IOPC is scrutinising the Met's initial response to claims of sexual offending. This comes after a 2024 documentary brought numerous accusations of rape, sexual assault, and trafficking against the former Harrods owner to public attention. Following the broadcast, the Met confirmed that 21 women had approached them with sexual offence allegations against Al Fayed before his death in 2023; no prosecutions were ever brought.
Earlier this month, it emerged that a serving Met officer and four former officers face investigation for potential misconduct related to their handling of sexual abuse reports against Al Fayed. The APPG has formally written to the Met’s directorate of professional standards and the IOPC, emphasising the necessity of ensuring victims' confidence that "historic failures of the Metropolitan Police" will be thoroughly investigated, including the inaction on prior allegations against Fayed before his death.
A spokesperson for the 'No One Above' survivors' group criticised the Met's current investigation as too narrow, questioning its capacity to deliver genuine accountability. Co-chairs of the 'Justice for Fayed and Harrods Survivors' group, Jen Mills and Lindsay Mason, expressed apprehension, stating that survivors, having been failed by institutions, are now asked to trust the same bodies that previously let them down.
In March, the Met disclosed that three women and one man had been interviewed under caution for offences including human trafficking for sexual exploitation and facilitating rape. At that time, Commander Angela Craggs affirmed the Met's resolve to prosecute anyone involved in Al Fayed's alleged offending, despite his death. The Met's investigation is structured into three distinct areas: the original investigation, forward-looking examination of potential facilitators, and an assessment of any misconduct or corruption.
