Gemma, Lindsay and Jen are three of the women that have spoken out about Mohamed Al Fayed(Image: PA)

First claim over Mohamed Al Fayed's alleged sex abuse launched as more than 400 accuse him

31 Oct 2024, 23:09 by Josh Payne · The Mirror

The first claim over Mohamed Al Fayed’s alleged sex abuse has been launched, with 421 women now making accusations against him.

And lawyers warn that will spark a flood of further complaints over the late Harrods tycoon’s behaviour. Former staff claim they were sexually abused or raped by Al Fayed, who owned the store from 1985 to 2010.

Justice for Harrods Survivors said there were also allegations from Fulham FC and The Ritz in Paris, which he also controlled.

Three alleged victims, Gemma, Lindsay and Jen, were at a London press conference led by lawyer Dean Armstrong KC yesterday, who said the group had £1billion to fight cases.

He added: “The first letter of claim has been sent to Harrods. That is the beginning of the formal legal process. It’ll be followed today by another and it’ll be followed the day after by others, and it’ll be followed by hundreds more.

More than 400 victims have now accused the late Harrods owner of sexual assault( Image: AFP via Getty Images)

“This is the clearest signal possible that it is time for Harrods, the Fayed estate and Fulham FC amongst others to understand that now is the time to do the right thing.”

Colleague Bruce Drummond said the claim concerned one alleged victim, but added: “It’s literally the first of hundreds, it’s going to snowball and snowball.”

Barrister Maria Mulla warned a “very large web” of “enablers” in Al Fayed’s alleged abuse has also been identified.

A number of women made claims of sexual abuse and rape in September’s BBC documentary Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods.

Former Fulham FC footballer Ronnie Gibbons, 44, an alleged victim who waived her right to anonymity to speak out, thanked others who went public.

Representing the Harrods Survivors group are Bruce Drummond, Dean Armstrong KC and Maria Mulla( Image: PA)

The ex-team captain claims she was sexually assaulted by Al Fayed – who died in 2023, aged 94 – at his Central London store. She said in a video message at the press conference: “Seeing you speak helped me to have the courage to get in touch with barristers.

“And as difficult as it’s been, it’s been very empowering and I know that by speaking out, we are making it harder for this kind of behaviour to be tolerated anywhere."

The majority of alleged assaults took place 'in the Harrods context'( Image: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The Met Police asked the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether to charge Al Fayed in relation to only two out of 21 women who had made allegations of rape and sexual assault against him between 2005 and 2023.

But it decided not to go ahead with either because there was not “a realistic prospect of conviction”.