More specifically, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) admitted it had twice failed to bring charges against Mohammed al-Fayed for rape and sexual abuse.
The former Harrods owner, who died last year aged 94, was described as a “monster” by lawyers representing his alleged victims.
The women say he raped and sexually assaulted them while they worked at the luxury department store and accused him of “handpicking” the women he would take to his suite.
More than 150 women are believed to have fallen victim to him. A CPS spokesman has now said evidence against him was given to prosecutors by the Metropolitan Police twice but was not sufficient to warrant charges.
In 2008, al-Fayed was accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl, which he denied. The CPS did not prosecute the case at the time due to insufficient evidence.
He then allegedly raped a woman in 2013, whose case was re-investigated by police in 2015 but led to no charges.
While the CPS reviewed both files, its spokesman said: “In order to prosecute, the CPS must be satisfied that there is a prospect of a conviction. In any event, our prosecutors carefully reviewed the evidence and concluded that they did not have sufficient evidence.”
It is the first time the agency has acknowledged the 2015 investigation. The CPS also provided police with advice on early investigations into al-Fayed in 2018, 2021 and 2023. But full evidence was never obtained in those cases with resulting in the police closing the cases.
Lawyers for the victims confirmed on Saturday that they had received “over 150 new complaints” following the screening of the BBC documentary on al-Fayed.
“Al Fayed was a man I would be worried about if a relative of mine went on holiday with him, let alone the future king and his brother and their mother, Princess Diana,” Dai Davies said.
He added that he was “horrified” at the idea that the late princess had gone on holiday with al-Fayed and his wife at their St Tropez residence in July 1997.
“I knew he had tried very hard to reach the royal family and obviously knowing, as I did, the reputation he allegedly had at the time, I became concerned and took the opportunity to inform the royal family.”
Myanmar: 384 dead from typhoon Yagi
The divine Sophia Loren at 90 – She remains the eternal love symbol
PASOK: Tough battle of four for the presidency
#revelations #Mohammed #alFayed
