Ms Gascoigne is only one of many ladies have stated they have been assaulted by the previous Harrods proprietor.
The mom of 1 recounted the ordeal in an emotional Sky Information interview, saying the businessman would sexually assault and forcibly kiss her throughout conferences whereas she labored on the division retailer. The 37-year-old mannequin stated she “simply did not actually know what to do” when the he launched his assaults on her.
She stated the abuse started when she joined Harrods aged 16. The daughter of ex-England footballer Paul Gascoigne stated she had visited the shop together with her dad and mom rising up, and Al Fayed would deliver them items. She informed the broadcaster that she initially felt protected when she joined Harrods as an adolescent till Al Fayed, who owned the shop, started to sexually assault her.
Her feedback come after Harrods stated greater than 250 individuals are a part of its course of to settle compensation for its former proprietor’s alleged sexual misconduct.
Right here’s what we all know in regards to the allegations in opposition to the late businessman.
Who was Mohamed Al Fayed?
Mohamed Al Fayed was an Egyptian billionaire who owned the division retailer Harrods. He died in August 2023 aged 94 and since then, a lot of girls have stepped ahead to say he abused them.
He was born in Alexandria, Egypt, offered lemonade from the roadside earlier than beginning work for the Saudi businessman and arms seller Adnan Khashoggi. He then launched his personal transport enterprise and moved to the UK within the Nineteen Seventies within the hope of increasing his enterprise empire.
He was already rich when he arrived and in 1979, along with his brother Ali, Al Fayed purchased the Paris Ritz resort. His goal was to personal Harrods, one thing he achieved in 1985.
Al Fayed additionally purchased soccer membership Fulham in 1997, and the crew later made it into the Premier League. In 2011, two years after Michael Jackson’s dying, Al Fayed erected a statue of his pop singer pal on the Craven Cottage floor however when he offered the membership in 2013, the statue was taken down.
Mohamed Al Fayed was chairman of Fulham FC (PA)
PA Archive
He was also involved in a high-profile war of words following the death of Princess Diana and his son Dodi, who had been spending time collectively in Paris after they have been concerned in a automotive crash in 1997. Each of them died and it was later discovered that the driving force – Al Fayed’s worker Henri Paul – was over the alcohol restrict on the time of the crash.
Al Fayed claimed Diana was pregnant, that the couple have been to be engaged, and he believed that they had been murdered. The inquest discovered there was “no proof” to assist these claims.
What are the allegations in opposition to him?
Al Fayed was first accused of sexual abuse within the late Nineteen Eighties, however the allegations didn’t result in prison costs. In 2009, the Crown Prosecution Service determined in opposition to prosecuting when a 15-year-old got here ahead to say he had sexually assaulted her. He denied the allegations.
The BBC’s Al Fayed: Predator At Harrods documentary was launched in September and reported the claims of 5 girls who stated they have been raped by Al Fayed, with plenty of others alleging sexual misconduct.
The London division retailer stated it had “settled plenty of claims with girls” made in opposition to its former proprietor since final yr.
Harrods stated that because the airing of the BBC documentary in September, there have been greater than 250 people “now within the Harrods course of to settle claims immediately with the enterprise”.
Has his household made an announcement?
Omar Al Fayed has stated the alleged victims deserve “full transparency and accountability”, and stated the a number of girls coming ahead had “thrown into query the loving reminiscence I had of him”.
Omar added that regardless of his father being a beautiful dad, he was not blind to the accusations which have emerged since his dying.
In an announcement to Sky Information, he stated: “The extent and express nature of the allegations are surprising and has thrown into query the loving reminiscence I had of him.
“How this matter might have been hid for therefore lengthy and in so some ways, raises additional disturbing questions.
“All through historical past, individuals in positions of energy have all too typically been shielded from the implications of their actions, and justice has regularly been delayed or denied to those that have suffered.
“I firmly imagine that anybody discovered responsible of such reprehensible actions, together with having had facilitated, enabled or helped cowl up such actions, regardless of their standing, should be held accountable.”
“The alleged victims and public deserve full transparency and accountability,” he added.
“I’ll proceed to assist the rules of reality, justice, accountability and equity, no matter the place that journey could lead. No-one is above the regulation.”
The present managing director of Harrods, Michael Ward, stated the enterprise had failed its employees.
He described the allegations as a “shameful interval within the enterprise’s historical past”, including {that a} compensation scheme had been arrange, and had already settled with plenty of victims.
He stated in an announcement that it was “clear Mr Fayed presided over a poisonous tradition of secrecy, intimidation, concern of repercussion and sexual misconduct”.
