Survivors of abuse at the hands of the late Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed have complained to a watchdog about how the Metropolitan Police handled allegations. More than 400 claims of sexual misconduct have been made against Al-Fayed, dating between 1977 and 2014, including rape and human trafficking.
IOPC assessing new complaints
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is assessing three victims’ complaints about the Met made this week. It is already investigating one serving and four former Met officers for potential misconduct relating to the case. The ongoing probe, led by the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards under the watchdog’s direction and control, involves other reports made by four victims.
An IOPC spokesperson said on Sunday: “We can confirm that we received complaints this week from three victim-survivors, which relate to the Met’s handling of allegations against Mohamed Al-Fayed and his associates that were reported to the force between 2018 and 2024. We are currently assessing these complaints before deciding what further action we will be taking.”
Met Police investigation underway
The force is investigating allegations made by at least 155 victims who contacted them directly and are looking at people who may have facilitated or enabled Al-Fayed’s crimes. Its probe, known as Operation Cornpoppy, launched 19 months ago and as of last week it had interviewed just four people.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “We are assisting the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as it carries out an independent investigation into our handling of reports of sexual offending by Mohammed Al-Fayed. As part of this, the IOPC is investigating complaints against five officers. One serving and four former officers are being investigated for potential misconduct. The serving of notices does not mean that misconduct proceedings will necessarily follow. We are aware that further complaints are now being assessed by the IOPC. We will support these as required. Our investigation into individuals who may have facilitated or enabled offending by Mohamed Al-Fayed remains active.”
Survivors seek oversight and accountability
Earlier in June the Prime Minister met with around 200 survivors on an online video call as part of a greater push for justice and accountability. Justine, a pseudonym, later told the Press Association that she had wanted a commitment from Sir Keir Starmer about oversight of the Met investigation. She and others from the survivor-led collective No One Above were calling for the National Crime Agency (NCA) to set up a joint investigation team (Jit) to run in parallel to the Met’s work and have oversight of it. They argue that this would help uncover the international scope of the trafficking and add an extra layer of accountability and transparency amid concerns about the Met’s conduct in this case. However, the question about this oversight, which was submitted to the meeting with the Prime Minister in advance, “wasn’t really asked”, Justine said.
A Downing Street spokesperson said at the time: “The Prime Minister met survivors of Mohamed Fayed, paid tribute to their courage, and made clear he stands with them in their fight for justice. With hundreds coming forward, including from overseas, the meeting was held online to ensure all survivors could take part. We are clear that this is the beginning, not the end, of working with survivors to secure the justice they deserve.”
