5 alleged sufferers of abuse by way of Mohamed Al Fayed are making plans to release criminal motion in opposition to the overdue billionaire’s property, solicitors say.
The BBC understands that is the primary time the Al Fayed property has been notified of claims of this type since allegations of abuse had been broadcast in a BBC documentary final yr.
3 of the ladies labored for the overdue billionaire and previous proprietor of Harrods as nannies and two as personal air stewards between 1995 and 2012. They had been between the ages of 18 and 30 once they say the abuse took place.
The Fladgate regulation company, which represents the property, has been contacted for remark.
Leigh Day, the regulation company representing the alleged sufferers, say the ladies had been subjected to “severe sexual abuse, harassment and mistreatment”.
Some allege they had been threatened once they attempted to boost considerations or file the abuse.
Earlier claims had been introduced in opposition to Harrods, the dept retailer owned by way of Al Fayed till 2010.
Richard Meeran, one of the vital companions running at the girls’s case, instructed the BBC: “It will be important that his property could also be made legally in command of the in style abuse he perpetrated in opposition to those that might by no means have had dealings with the well-known retailer.”
The ladies are pursuing repayment underneath a private damage declare. The letters of declare, that have been despatched to the representatives of Al Fayed’s property at the girls’s behalf, represent the primary formal step within the civil criminal procedure previous to the beginning of court docket lawsuits.
Because the documentary Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods and podcast exposed in style allegations of abuse from former Harrods workers, the BBC has heard from with reference to 80 girls who shared their very own stories.
The earliest account of abuse heard by way of the BBC stretched way back to 1977 and various girls described being recruited by way of Al Fayed underneath false pretences prior to being sexually exploited by way of him.
The Metropolitan Police have stated greater than 100 alleged sufferers have contacted them to mention they had been sexually abused by way of Al Fayed.
They’re these days reviewing a complete of 21 allegations made prior to he died in 2023.
Plenty of allegations had been made in opposition to the businessman whilst he used to be nonetheless alive, however Al Fayed used to be by no means charged over rape and sexual attack allegations.
In November, the Met introduced an investigation into the way it treated allegations when it comes to Al Fayed.
Most of the girls who’ve spoken to the BBC about their stories have raised vital questions referring to how the predatory abuse they are saying they suffered used to be ready to proceed throughout a large number of many years.
The 5 girls, being represented by way of Leigh Day, also are calling for an impartial inquiry into the subject.
A spokesperson for Leigh Day added: “The letters are despatched underneath the pre-action protocol for private damage claims and mark the primary formal step within the criminal procedure previous to the graduation of court docket lawsuits.”
In January, claims of abuse in opposition to Al Fayed and his brother Salah had been heard in a UK court docket for the primary time, in a civil case being introduced in opposition to Harrods.
Their handiest surviving brother, Ali Fayed, has additionally been accused of sexual attack by way of former workers of the dept retailer. A spokesperson for Mr Fayed, who lives in america, stated prior to now that he unequivocally denied any and all of the allegations of wrongdoing, including that “the incidents merely by no means happened”.
Harrods’ new house owners have prior to now stated they’re “appalled” by way of the allegations of sexual abuse and feature been investigating since 2023 whether or not any present contributors of personnel had been concerned.
In November, the Met stated it used to be investigating no less than 5 other people it believes can have assisted or enabled Al Fayed’s alleged sexual offences.
