Over 400 people have come forward with Mohamed al Fayed allegations, survivors group says
A group representing alleged victims of Mohamed al Fayed has said they have been contacted by over 400 people, including further alleged victims and witnesses.
The Justice for Harrods Survivors group said it has been contacted by people from Harrods and Fulham FC, both of which Fayed previously owned, and “various places” associated with the businessman.
It follows a string of allegations against the businessman, who died last year, after a BBC documentary about his behaviour in which several women accused him of abuse.
The allegations include serial rape, attempted rape, sexual battery and sexual abuse of minors.
Speaking at a news conference in London on Thursday, lawyer Dean Armstrong KC, Bruce Drummond and Maria Mulla, said the survivors group is now dealing with 421 inquiries concerning Fayed.
Mohamed Al Fayed in 2010. File pic: AP
“We now have clients who have suffered abuse at Harrods, at Fulham Football Club, at the hands of al Fayed and at various places associated with [him],” Mr Armstrong said.
“We have been contacted by over 400 people… Not all survivors, some witnesses… but we are currently engaged with 400 people who have been impacted by this abuse.”
Mr Armstrong said that the first letter of claim on behalf of one person has been sent to Harrods, “beginning the formal legal process” of the case. He said that letter will be “followed by hundreds more”.
(L-R) Bruce Drummond, Dean Armstrong KC and Maria Mulla. Pic: PA
‘Industrial scale of abuse’
The group said that the majority of claims made against Fayed have come from the UK, but there are also claimed from the US, Canada, Asia, Australia and other parts of Europe.
“That, in our opinion, is an industrial scale of abuse,” Mr Drummond said, adding: “Abuse that could have only been perpetrated with a system that enabled the abuse to happen.
“That is what is so key to this case and why this case, in many ways, is the worst case of corporate sexual abuse of women that the world has ever known.”
Alleged victims Gemma, Lindsay and Jen. Pic: PA
He said the group has “credible evidence” that Fayed carried out alleged abuse at a number of different locations including his residence on Park Lane in London, his estate in Surrey, his aircraft, the Ritz Hotel in Paris and on his private yacht.
“Every young lady in his orbit was a target,” Mr Drummond said.
One of those who has alleged to have been abused by Fayed is Paul Gascoigne’s daughter, Bianca.
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Bianca Gascoigne speaks about Al Fayed abuse
Speaking to Sky News earlier this month she said she was groomed and sexually assaulted by the former Harrods owner when she worked at the London department store as a teenager.
Former Fulham Women captain Ronnie Gibbons also alleged she was twice sexually assaulted.
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Those are in addition to 21 women who went to the Metropolitan Police between 2005 and 2023 with sex crime allegations against the businessman.
Harrods has previously said it is “utterly appalled” by the claims of abuse and said it is a “very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Fayed between 1985 and 2010”.
A man who died after being hit by a bus in Edinburgh has been named.
Michael Leneghen, 74, died after being struck at around 7.25pm on Saturday 2 November in the Cowgate area of the city.
On the day of the incident, police issued a warning for members of the public not to share distressing images and videos circulating online.
In a statement, Mr Leneghen’s family thanked members of the public and emergency services who were involved and asked for privacy.
A single-decker bus collided with Mr Leneghen, who was on foot, Police Scotland say.
Sergeant Paul Ewing of Edinburgh‘s road policing unit said the force’s thoughts were with Mr Leneghen’s family and friends “as well as everyone affected by this tragic incident”.
“Our enquiries remain ongoing. We have already spoken to a number of people who were in the area at the time and work is ongoing to check public and private CCTV footage,” he added.
“We are still keen to hear from anyone who has not yet spoken to police.”
Chief Inspector Trisha Clark, the local area commander, previously said police were “aware of videos and images circulating on social media which are causing distress to the deceased’s family”.
“We would ask members of the public not to share them out of respect for his family, and to report them to the relevant social media platform to prevent further circulation,” she added.
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Ms Clark added that while there had been a lot of speculation, it was an “isolated incident” and there was “no risk to the wider public”.
Officers have asked anyone with information which could help the police investigation to get in touch.
MP Mike Amesbury has been charged with common assault following an incident in Frodsham, Cheshire, last month.
The charge comes after a video emerged of him appearing to punch a man to the ground.
Cheshire Police said the 55-year-old will appear at a magistrates court at a later date to face the assault charge.
In a statement, police said the charge “relates to reports of an assault on a 45-year-old man on Main Street, Frodsham, which was reported to police at 2.48am on Saturday 26 October”.
Rosemary Ainslie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime division, said: “Following a review of the evidence provided by Cheshire Police, we have authorised a charge of common assault against Mike Amesbury MP, 55.
“The charge follows an alleged assault in Frodsham, Cheshire, on Saturday, 26 October 2024.
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.”
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In a statement, Mr Amesbury said: “I have today been summonsed to court to face a charge of common assault following an incident in Frodsham last month, which was deeply regrettable.
“I am continuing to cooperate with police and given this is an ongoing case I cannot comment further.”
Labour suspended Mr Amesbury from the party so he is now an independent MP for Runcorn and Helsby.
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