Former Harrods employee accuses Mohamed al Fayed and his brother Salah of assaulting her in 1990s
A former Harrods employee has claimed Mohamed al Fayed and his brother, Salah, both assaulted her while she worked for the department store in the 1990s.
Speaking on camera about her story for the first time, Rachael Louw told Sky News she was subjected to invasive sexual health tests, surveillance and inappropriate touching while working for the al Fayeds.
During her three years at Harrods Rachael was propositioned by Salah al Fayed, who one night climbed into bed with her while she was working as his personal assistant on his yacht in Monaco. Upon her return to the Harrods store in London, the chairman, Mohamed, also preyed on her.
“There were things that happened there that I didn’t realise were a part of trafficking: Isolation, phone bugging, no time on your own, exposure to these sexually charged situations – almost like to acclimatise you, to groom you into thinking that this is normal,” she said.
Ms Louw was in her early 20s when she moved from university to London in 1993 to work on the shop floor at Harrods. In what has now become a familiar tale among victims who have come forward, she was spotted by the chairman and soon promoted to be his brother’s personal assistant.
Rachael Louw was in her 20s when she worked for Harrods
At the time, she was excited. “You’re entering this whole new lifestyle that is shiny and new and exciting, and I was like, okay, I’m ready for this. This is the next stage for me,” she said.
However, there were early signs that something was not right.
Before taking the job Rachael was subjected to a compulsory sexual health check, conducted by Dr Ann Coxon on Harley Street. In a letter to the chairman’s office, the doctor went into detail about Rachael’s sexual history, her use of contraception, and her body shape, as well as her levels of personal hygiene.
Rachael had no idea her results had been sent to her employer, Mohamed al Fayed. She believes she was trafficked to Monaco for sexual exploitation, and this was the first stage of the process.
Mohamed al Fayed (left) with his brother Salah al Fayed (right) in the stands at a Fulham match in 2007. Pic: PA
She was not alone. Over the past four months, hundreds of women have come forward to detail their experiences of sexual assault and rape at the hands of Mohamed al Fayed.
More recently it has come to light that his brother, Salah, may have also been an abuser.
Lawyers representing the victims have described the abuse, which took place in the 1990s and 2000s, as a gross example of corporate sexual exploitation.
A police investigation is also under way. The Metropolitan Police, which is being investigated by the police watchdog over its handling of past allegations, is now investigating associates of al Fayed who may have facilitated or assisted the abuse.
Both Salah and Mohamed have died, so cannot be held to account in the criminal courts.
Then Harrods chairman Mohamed al Fayed unveiling a memorial to his son Dodi and Diana, Princess of Wales, in September 2005. Pic: Reuters
‘I was disgusted and didn’t want to be there’
After the results of her health check were sent through, Rachael was asked to accompany Salah al Fayed on his yacht in Monaco. During that time, her employer became more and more suggestive.
One night, he invited her to another boat where they dined with an older man and two young women.
“He said: did I notice how friendly the girls had been with me? And I said: ‘Yeah, they were really nice’. He said: ‘Well, did you realise they wanted to sleep with you?'”
Rachael added: “Salah said there was an expectation that this evening would become something that involved all of us,” and that “the idea had been to have group sex”.
“I was shocked and disgusted and didn’t want to be there.”
Mohamed al Fayed and his brother Salah in 2006. Pic: Shutterstock
It didn’t end there. One night she was invited to sleep in one of the more comfortable cabins on the boat, which had double beds.
“I had been asleep for a few hours and I felt a movement on the bed… I woke up with a panic of, first, where was I? And then who was this? And I remember saying something like, ‘What are you doing?’ And Salah said, ‘I’m lonely’… I just went ramrod still and he just carried on sleeping there.
“He went to sleep and I lay there the whole night and I didn’t sleep, thinking if I moved, if I turned over, if I did any body movement whatsoever, he would misinterpret that as me giving him an indication that it was okay to touch me.”
“It was probably one of the longest nights of my life,” she added. “And I remember in the morning, aching because I’d been so tense the whole night.”
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From November: Claims of abuse by Al Fayed’s brother emerge
‘The more I resisted, the more upset he became’
Rachael said she eventually left Monaco after a month of repeated sexual advances. She booked a ticket to London and went back to the shop floor at Harrods. She thought she was safer away from Salah al Fayed but it was during this time that Mohamed assaulted her.
Rachael was asked to visit the chairman at his flat in Park Lane to secure some paperwork she needed to take a sabbatical to Australia.
“I went after my shift. We had dinner. I was not expecting there to be dinner. We had a drink.
“Then Mohamed was showing me around his apartment… then we get to his bedroom. And he’s motioning to the view and I’ve got my back turned to him and he said to me: ‘Let’s talk about your future’.
“I was half expecting him to pull out this paperwork. I turned around and he said: ‘Come sit next to me. Let’s discuss your future’.”
Ms Louw speaking to Sky News about her allegations of abuse
Rachael said Mohamed al Fayed tried to persuade her to stay that day, and not go to Australia. “I will look after you. I will get you an apartment in London. It’s very expensive. I understand these things. If you treat me right, if you’re nice to me, I can make things happen for you’.”
She added: “I was sitting down next to him, and he put his arm around me and his hand started going further up my skirt, higher and higher. And all I could think was that I somehow have to extricate myself from this situation because I needed my paperwork.
“My tickets were booked. It was really expensive… and how do I get out of this situation without offending him?
“All I can remember saying is: ‘My mum didn’t teach me to mix business with pleasure. This isn’t right’.”
“He kept with the verbal coercion, over and over and over, and his arms [were] still around me. This must have gone on for at least 20 minutes.
“The more I resisted, the more upset he became. I ended up pulling away from him. I have no memory of leaving his apartment.”
After the encounter, Rachael left to take her sabbatical in Australia. When she returned, she quit her role at Harrods.
Still a chance of criminal charges
Victim-survivors like Rachael are asking why serious action wasn’t taken by the police to arrest Mohamed, Salah and their alleged enablers over the decades as complaints were made.
The Met has now widened its investigation to look at associates who may have assisted and facilitated the abuse – meaning criminal charges could still be on the cards even though the direct perpetrators have died.
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From November: Police widen Al Fayed investigation
Harrods, which is now owned by the Qatari sovereign wealth fund, has established an internal review and set up a compensation fund, which it says is in the process of settling with around 250 women.
In a statement to Sky News, the company said: “Harrods supports the bravery of all women in coming forward. Their claims point to the breadth of abuse by Mohamed Fayed and again raise serious allegations against his brother, Salah Fayed. The picture that has emerged suggests that this pattern of abusive behaviour took place wherever they operated.
“We continue to encourage all survivors to make their claims to the Harrods scheme, where they can apply for compensation… We also hope that they are looking at every avenue open to them in their pursuit of justice, whether that be the police or the Fayed family and estate.”
The company added: “Any claims in relation to the behaviour of current staff involved in any of the allegations either directly or indirectly during the time of Fayed’s ownership, will be investigated.”
Sarah, Duchess of York, has been dropped as a patron of two charities after it emerged she sent an email apologising to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein for publicly disowning him.
The groups, children’s hospice Julia’s House and food allergy charity The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, issued statements on Monday.
Julia’s House said: “Following the information shared this weekend on the Duchess of York’s correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein, Julia’s House has taken the decision that it would be inappropriate for her to continue as a patron of the charity.
“We have advised the Duchess of York of this decision and thank her for her past support.”
Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, founders of The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, said: “We were disturbed to read of Sarah, Duchess of York’s, correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein.
“Sarah Ferguson has not been actively involved with the charity for some years. She was a patron but, in the light of the recent revelations, we have taken the decision that it would be inappropriate for her to continue to be associated with the charity. We would like to thank her for her kindness and support in the past.”
Julia’s House provides support for “families caring for a child with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition”, according to its website.
The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation aims to prevent and end allergic disease, according to the Charity Commission, by bringing “about positive change by focusing on law and policies, medical research and educating and raising allergy awareness”.
It comes after it emerged the duchess had written a gushing message to Epstein, describing him as her “supreme friend”.
According to The Sun on Sunday, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew had emailed him in April 2011 and “humbly apologised” for linking him to paedophilia in the media a few weeks previously.
She said in the message that he was a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend” to her.
Her spokesperson has since said she only wrote the note because Epstein had threatened to sue her.
The duchess’s interview with the Evening Standard on 7 March 2011 saw her apologise for accepting £15,000 from Epstein.
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‘Duchess fell for Epstein’s lies’
She told the newspaper: “I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf. I am just so contrite, I cannot say.
“Whenever I can, I will repay the money and have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.”
But The Sun on Sunday reported that little over a month later, the duchess sent an email to the sex offender from her private account.
She apologised to him and said she was “bedridden with fear”, the paper reported.
Jeffrey Epstein. File pic: New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP
‘Her first thoughts are with his victims’
In a statement at the weekend, the duchess’s spokesman said: “The duchess spoke of her regret about her association with Epstein many years ago, and as they have always been, her first thoughts are with his victims.
“Like many people, she was taken in by his lies.
“As soon as she was aware of the extent of the allegations against him, she not only cut off contact but condemned him publicly, to the extent that he then threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with paedophilia.
“She does not resile from anything she said then.
“This email was sent in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.”
Police have appealed for help to identify an additional 18 people suspected of public order offences and assaults on emergency workers on the day of the Unite the Kingdom march.
Between 110,000 and 150,000 people attended the rally in central London on 13 September, the Metropolitan Police estimates.
Protesters heard a number of speeches, including from far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who organised the rally and called it the “biggest freedom of speech” event in British history.
Pics: Met Police
An anti-racism counter-protest, attended by about 5,000 campaigners, also took place, with the two groups clashing on Whitehall and Trafalgar Square, separated by lines of police.
Police previously said 24 people were arrested at the protests, 23 of whom are believed to have been involved in the Unite the Kingdom rally, while one was believed to be involved in the counter-protest.
The force launched an appeal to identify 11 people last week, one of whom was identified.
Officers now want to speak to a further 18 people “in connection with a range of public order offences and assaults on emergency workers” and have released 16 new images.
Pics: Met Police
The Met previously said 26 officers were assaulted with kicks and punches, adding: “Bottles, flares and other projectiles were also thrown and concerted attempts were made to get past barriers.”
“Our post-event investigation continues and officers have looked through hundreds of hours of CCTV footage to review evidence to help with further inquiries,” said Detective Chief Inspector Natalie Norris.
“We have 28 people we want to speak to in connection with a range of offences – and we are again appealing for the public’s help to track them down.”
Read more from Sky News:
UK to push peace plan at UN summit
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People may have travelled from outside London, so she said she was asking people “across the country” to look at a number of pictures that have been released and to get in touch if they recognise anyone.
UK
UK to push peace plan at UN summit after recognising Palestinian state – but Netanyahu says Palestine ‘will not happen’
The UK is set to push for a peace plan for the Middle East at the UN General Assembly after recognising the state of Palestine.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to use the summit to address civilian suffering in war-torn Gaza and aim to strengthen “the international consensus on our pathway for peace in the Middle East”.
She will hold bilateral meetings to advance elements of the peace plan, including security measures to ensure Hamas has no role in the future governance of Gaza, according to the Foreign Office.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who won’t attend the summit, announced on Sunday that the UK recognises Palestine as an independent state, to “revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution”.
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‘Ordinary people deserve to live in peace’
It is a significant moment in the history of Britain’s involvement in the region, and comes as the number of people killed during the Gaza conflict continues to rise and conditions for the people trapped become even more desperate.
Australia, Canada and Portugal made similar announcements, with France expected to follow suit at the UN on Monday.
The move was met with fierce backlash by Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying it was “absurd” and a “huge reward to terrorism”. He also vowed that a Palestinian state “will not happen”.
Read more: What recognising a Palestinian state actually means
Flags of Palestine and Israel are projected onto the Eiffel Tower. Pic: AP/Christophe Ena
Separately, an Israeli official said the “full or partial annexation of the West Bank” is now “an option under consideration in response” to the move.
US President Donald Trump also addressed the coordinated recognition of the state of Palestine by the UK, Australia, Canada and Portugal, saying “I’m not in that camp” because recognising a Palestinian state was “rewarding Hamas”.
The families of hostages held in Gaza called it a “betrayal of humanity and a move that rewards Hamas while 48 hostages remain in captivity”.
A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stretches along the Muwasi, in southern Gaza. Pic: AP/Jehad Alshrafi
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the recognition of the state of Palestine would allow it to “live side by side with the State of Israel in security, peace, and good neighbourliness”.
Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi reportedly celebrated the move as a victory for “the justice of our cause”.
But Sir Keir was clear to emphasise that recognition of Palestine was “not a reward for Hamas”, saying the terror group “can have no future, no role in government, no role in security” in a future state and confirming plans to ratchet up sanctions on Hamas “in the coming weeks”.
“Our call for a genuine two-state solution is the exact opposite of their hateful vision,” he added.
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Gazans react after Starmer recognises Palestinian statehood
The prime minister also repeated his criticism of Israel, which for nearly two years has waged war on the densely populated Gaza Strip.
“The Israeli government’s relentless and increasing bombardment of Gaza, the offensive of recent weeks, the starvation and devastation are utterly intolerable,” he said.
Read more from Sky News:
Why Palestine move matters in the Middle East
Palestinian minister hails ‘courageous step’
Gaza City doctors say hospital at breaking point
Destroyed buildings in Gaza, as seen from Israeli side of the border. Pic: Reuters
The number of people killed in Gaza since the IDF launched its offensive following the 7 October attacks has now risen above 65,000, according to Hamas-run health authorities.
“This death and destruction horrifies all of us. It must end,” Sir Keir said.
An updated map of Israel and Palestine on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website
In recognising Palestine as a state, the UK does so based on 1967 borders to be finalised as part of future negotiations. It would be led by a “reformed Palestinian Authority”.
The UK also acknowledges “all legal rights and obligations of statehood” for Palestine.
An updated map on the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website now has the West Bank and Gaza labelled as ‘Palestine’ rather than the ‘Occupied Palestinian Territories’. This change has been rolled out across the website.
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