Met Police refers itself to watchdog over Mohamed Al Fayed allegations | EUROtoday

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Scotland Yard has referred itself to a police watchdog after two girls complained about how their circumstances in opposition to Mohamed Al Fayed had been dealt with.

According to the Metropolitan Police, the 2 girls raised considerations in regards to the high quality of police response and, within the case of the 2013 investigation, how particulars got here to be disclosed publicly.

Commander Stephen Clayman, from the Met’s Specialist Crime group, mentioned: “We are actively reviewing 21 allegations reported to the Metropolitan Police prior to Mohamed Al Fayed’s passing, as well as the related police investigations, to determine if any additional investigative steps are available or there are things we could have done better.

“This process remains active, and we are committed to assessing all new allegations, pursuing justice where possible and transparently addressing any failings.

“In recent weeks, two victims-survivors have come forward with concerns about how their allegations were handled when first reported, and it is only appropriate that the IOPC assess these complaints.

“Although we cannot change the past, we are resolute in our goal to offer every individual who contacts us the highest standard of service and support.

“I encourage anyone with relevant information, whether you were personally affected or have knowledge about others who may have facilitated Al Fayed’s actions to contact us.

“Our priority remains to ensure that no stone is left unturned in the pursuit of justice.”

It got here after it emerged a girl first reported allegations she was sexually assaulted by Mohamed al-Fayed to the Metropolitan Police a decade sooner than the power initially acknowledged.

As Harrods’ new house owners course of greater than 250 claims of sexual misconduct by the division retailer’s late boss, Samantha Jay-Ramsay’s household instructed the BBC that she first reported him to Scotland Yard in 1995, after he allegedly harassed and sexually assaulted her whereas working at Harrods aged 17.

The Met has beforehand mentioned the primary allegations they had been made conscious of had been in 2005, and mentioned that Samantha’s case might not have been transferred onto a police file as a result of some experiences had been paper-based on the time.

In an account chiming with those who have emerged this 12 months, Samantha instructed the News Of The World newspaper in 1998 that Mr Al Fayed mentioned she would want to have a medical and instructed her: “I like you to be clean. I hope you use Dettol, it’s the best”.

She then alleged he gripped her face, kissed her and touched her inappropriately earlier than handing her £200. Samantha mentioned one among Mr Al Fayed’s private assistants berated her for making a grievance, earlier than the ex-Harrods proprietor allegedly shouted at her and fired her.

She instructed the now-defunct paper that she had reported Fayed to the Met, who instructed her she was “not the first” and so they had “files inches high” about Fayed. Her mom then went to police in Gosport, Hampshire, who handed the grievance on to the Met however the household mentioned nothing got here of it.

On the newest complaints, a spokesperson for the the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed it contacted the Met Police in September to search out out if the power had obtained any complaints about investigations into the Al-Fayed allegations.

They mentioned: “We contacted the Met Police in September to find out whether it had received any relevant complaints or identified any conduct issues that would require a referral to us relating to sexual offence allegations made against Mohammed Al-Fayed.

“We have remained in regular contact with the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards on this matter and, on November 8, we received two complaint referrals relating to the Met Police’s original handling of allegations made by two complainants about Mr Al-Fayed.

“We will assess the information provided before deciding what further action may be required from us.”