Four women allegedly trafficked by billionaire Harrods predator Mohamed Al-Fayed have said they were let down by police, who they claim failed in their legal duty to identify them as victims of modern slavery and refer them to a national protection scheme. Instead, they made self-initiated referrals through the anti-slavery charity Unseen.
The women, all confirmed as victims after a Home Office review, believe the Met did not offer referrals to anyone who came forward about Al-Fayed until April 2026. The force continues to face scrutiny over its handling of allegations about Al-Fayed's abuse.
Survivors forced to self-refer
One survivor, using the pseudonym Isabella, worked in the chairman's office at Harrods in 2001, where she was trafficked. She reported her experience to police in 2024 but was never referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). She said: "Survivors had to force the state to recognise trafficking in a case the Met now says had trafficking always at its heart. Referring suspected victims to the NRM is a statutory duty, it's not optional."
She added: "That duty is triggered the moment that trafficking is suspected, not when it's proved... The legal duty is that it should be made promptly, and the threshold is low: reasonable grounds to suspect, no definitive proof needed."
Another victim, Margo, was a domestic worker for the Al-Fayed family after the 2010 sale of Harrods. She reported her experience in 2024, and the Met did not offer her a referral. She said the Met have been "reactive as opposed to proactive" throughout the investigation. Elizabeth, also a pseudonym, was a Harrods employee selected for abuse off the shop floor. She said there is a "very good reason" the police are required by law to identify victims, adding: "It's how we recognise the prevalence of this very, very serious crime in the UK. To not comply with that duty is a very serious issue."
Legal duty and historical cases
Elizabeth said there has been "some miscommunication" from the Met that their duty does not apply to historical cases, adding: "That's not true - it's very clear in the law." Justine, also a pseudonym, worked at Harrods for more than three years in the 90s and was trafficked during that time. She said the Met did not offer her a referral when she reported in 2018; after self-referring via Unseen, she received a positive conclusive grounds decision in June. She said: "The Met had a duty to refer all of us that have been reporting to them about this."
The former head of the Met's anti-trafficking unit, Phil Brewer, said he had never seen guidance or policy backing the Met's position. He said that regardless of legal obligation, the Met should have been referring victims anyway: "For me, it just seems such a simple thing to do that would give the survivors reassurance that they're being listened to and believed."
Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Eleanor Lyons said: "Victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking have endured horrific exploitation at the hands of their abusers. The impact can be profound and long lasting, affecting every aspect of a person's life for years to come. These victims should be offered support at any stage in their recovery journey." She added: "Statutory first responder organisations should refer these victims to the Government's National Referral Mechanism, which is designed to provide care and identify them as victims of modern slavery and trafficking. We must do everything in our power to provide protections for victims of exploitation and hold the perpetrators of this crime to account."
Police response and current investigation
A spokesman for the Met Police said: "The investigation into those who may have facilitated Mohamed Al Fayed’s offending is one of the largest and most complex the Met is currently undertaking. Seven suspects have so far been interviewed under caution on suspicion of offences including aiding and abetting rape and sexual assault, assisting the commission of sexual offences, and human trafficking for sexual exploitation. To date, 157 victims have now come forward. Where there are indications of human trafficking, and where the victim consents to us doing so, we will refer cases to the Home Office via the National Referral Mechanism."
Andy Day, the gold commander of Operation Cornpoppy, said in a letter to survivors on August 11: "Work continues in relation to potential National Referral Mechanism referrals. The investigation team is progressing this work and will continue to make contact where appropriate. If you believe this may apply to you and you have not yet heard from the team, please get in touch."
At least five survivors have received positive conclusive grounds decisions from the NRM, the UK's official framework for identifying victims of modern slavery. Statutory first responders, including police, Border Force, the National Crime Agency and local authorities, must refer all children and consenting adults they have reasonable grounds to believe may be victims. Non-governmental organisations like Unseen can also make referrals but are not under the same legal duties.
