Warning: This article contains details of rape and sexual abuse allegations that some readers may find distressing. BBC Two is to air a new documentary tonight (19th September), Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods. The 90-minute documentary explores a BBC investigation into allegations of serious sexual abuse by the late Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of Harrods.
The businessman, who died last year at the age of 94, "is accused of multiple counts of rape and attempted rape by the women who worked for him", as per the synopsis for the documentary. It adds: "At the time of many of the alleged attacks, Al Fayed was the owner of London's luxury department store Harrods, the iconic Ritz Paris hotel and English football club Fulham FC." There has been testimony from more than 20 employees, with 13 featured in the documentary, alleging to those investigating that they were sexually assaulted by him, including claims that the abuse was covered up by Harrods.
This includes five women who have accused Al Fayed of rape. The incidents are reported to have taken place in London, Paris, St Tropez and Abu Dhabi. "I made it obvious that I didn't want that to happen.
I did not give consent. I just wanted it to be over," said one of the women, who said Fayed raped her at his Park Lane apartment. Rachel, whose name has been changed for anonymity, worked as a personal assistant in Harrods in the 1990s.
She recounts that she was called to Fayed's apartment in Park Lane and he asked her to sit on hi.