Daniel Hambury/PA
Barristers representing the alleged victims of Mohamed Al Fayed have said the case “combines some of the most horrific elements of the cases involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein”.
The late Harrods’ owner was described as a “monster” during a press conference held by the legal team featured in the BBC documentary Al-Fayed: Predator At Harrods.
More than 20 female former employees have spoken to the broadcaster as part of a special investigation, coming forward with allegations of assault and physical violence at properties in London and Paris.
Five women alleged they had been raped by Mr Al Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94.
Speaking at a press conference in London on Friday, barrister Dean Armstrong KC said he had “never seen a case as horrific as this”.
“This case combines some of the most horrific elements of the cases involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein,” he said.
“Savile because in this case, as in that, the institution, we say, knew about the behaviour.
“Epstein because in that case, as in this, there was a procurement system in place to source the women and girls – as you know there are some very young victims.
“And Weinstein, because it was a person at the very top of the organisation who was abusing his power.
“We will say plainly, Mohammed Al Fayed was a monster.”
Mr Armstrong KC told the press conference that the legal team has been retained by 37 of Mr Al Fayed’s accusers and are “in the process of being retained by many more”.
Following the publication of the investigation on Thursday, a woman – who the BBC is calling Melanie – came forward to say she had been subjected to a “sickening” sexual assault by the Egyptian billionaire.
The woman worked at Harrods prior to 2010, and met Mr Al Fayed at work meetings on two occasions before being summoned to his apartment, it was reported.
Melanie, who described the businessman as a “sleazebag” and “slimy”, said: “He sat down next to me… He had asked that I return a couple of weeks later to stay at the apartments the night before the Harrods sale.
“And he would not really let me leave until I agreed to that. As I stood to leave, that’s when he put his hands on my breast and said some pretty disgusting things. And I was in complete shock. I just turned around and walked out.”
US lawyer Gloria Allred described Harrods as a “toxic, unsafe, and abusive environment” under the chairmanship of Mr Al Fayed.
She told the press conference that the allegations against Mr Al Fayed include serial rape, attempted rape, sexual battery, and sexual abuse of minors.
“They involved doctors administering invasive gynaecological exams as a condition of employment for some of the employees who were targeted by Mohammed Al Fayed for sexual abuse,” she said.
“The allegations also include the unauthorised disclosure to Mohamed Al Fayed of the examination results of employees he targeted for sexual abuse.”
Barrister Bruce Drummond told the press conference that Harrods “must accept responsibility for the damage these women have suffered”.
He said: “This is one of the worst cases of corporate sexual exploitation that certainly I, and perhaps the world has ever seen.
“It was absolutely horrific and I can’t stress that word enough.”
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