The Metropolitan Police has apologised after accidentally revealing the email addresses of women who have made allegations against Mohamed al-Fayed, the former owner of Harrods.
The force said it had sent a mass email to the women, who have come forward with claims of sexual assault and abuse, but had failed to use the blind carbon copy (BCC) function, leaving recipients able to see each other's email addresses.
Data protection breach
The Metropolitan Police said the error was a breach of data protection and that it had launched an internal review into how the mistake happened. The force said it had contacted those affected to apologise and offer support.
The email was sent as part of the investigation into Fayed, who died in 2023 aged 94. The Metropolitan Police has been contacting alleged victims as part of its inquiry into historical allegations.
Apology and next steps
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: "We are sorry that this happened and we are taking steps to ensure it does not happen again. We have contacted those affected to apologise and offer support."
The force said it was reviewing its procedures for sending mass communications to ensure that personal data is protected in the future.
