The Metropolitan Police is under scrutiny for its response to allegations against Mohamed Fayed, with a watchdog overseeing the investigation.
London: So, the Metropolitan Police is looking into how they handled complaints against Mohamed Fayed, the former Harrods boss. There are two main complaints that they’re digging into, and it’s all being overseen by a watchdog.
Right now, the Met is checking out 21 allegations that came up before Fayed passed away in 2023. They sent two of these complaints to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) last November.
On Wednesday, the IOPC said the Met’s own Directorate of Professional Standards will keep investigating these complaints, but they’ll be under the watchdog’s guidance.
Steve Noonan from the IOPC expressed sympathy for the victims who came forward with allegations against Fayed. It seems like a lot of people have reported being abused by him over the years.
In fact, more than 100 alleged victims have reached out to the police, claiming they were sexually abused by Fayed, with the youngest being just 13 at the time.
Some allegations were made while Fayed was still alive, and investigators have tried to get charging decisions from the Crown Prosecution Service a couple of times in the past.
They’ve also sought early advice from the CPS on several occasions, but it looks like the police didn’t follow up on those leads.
In November, the Met confirmed they’re looking into more than five people who might have helped Fayed in his alleged abuse of numerous women and girls over the years.
They’re focusing on those around him who could have enabled his actions, which reportedly went on for decades, from 1977 to 2014.
There are also claims of police corruption, with reports suggesting that some officers might have taken bribes to help Fayed avoid accusations and persecute staff.
