Woman details 'sickening' sexual assault by Mohamed Al Fayed, former Harrods owner

A woman has shared with the BBC that she endured a "sickening" sexual assault by former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed after being invited to his London apartment for a work meeting.

The woman, referred to by the BBC as Melanie, believes that police were close to arresting Al Fayed over her accusations just days before his death in August 2023.

A BBC investigation released on Thursday uncovered that over 20 women have accused the billionaire of sexual assault, with five alleging they were raped.

Melanie is among a growing group of former Harrods employees who have come forward to the BBC with claims of being assaulted since the documentary and podcast Al-Fayed: Predator at Harrods was made public.

The investigation also found evidence suggesting that Harrods not only failed to act but helped cover up the abuse allegations during Fayed's ownership.

Melanie's account comes as more information surfaces about unsuccessful attempts by law enforcement and prosecutors to hold Al Fayed accountable while he was alive. A legal team representing many of the women who spoke to the BBC is expected to present their case against Harrods on Friday.

Content warning: This story contains details some may find distressing.

Melanie worked at Harrods for a few years before 2010. She described landing the job at age 21 as her "dream job."

She met Fayed, who was in his late seventies at the time, during work meetings twice before being invited to his Park Lane apartment in late 2007.

Despite feeling uneasy about the invitation, Melanie attended the evening meeting.

She was shown into the sitting room by a housekeeper.

“He sat down next to me, talking to me for a few minutes, not very long... He had asked that I return a couple of weeks later to stay at the apartments the night before the Harrods sale, and I could go to the Harrods sale with him, and I could meet the celebrity that was opening it.”

“And he would not really let me leave until I agreed to that, so I said yes to be able to leave. I did not go back.”

“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."

Melanie revealed to the BBC that she didn't fully disclose the "sickening" incident to her loved ones and for years blamed herself, feeling "naive" for going to the meeting. She referred to Fayed as a "sleazebag" and "slimy."

Like other women who spoke to the BBC, Melanie said there were "rumours swirling" about Fayed and described his private office as being akin to a "modelling agency" filled with young women.

Other former Harrods employees depicted Fayed as a predator who used his power and influence to exploit staff and prevent them from speaking out.

Several ex-employees recalled how Fayed would walk around the department store, picking out young female staff members he found attractive and then promoting them to work in his private office.

Former staff told the BBC that this abuse was a widely known secret at Harrods. One person said: "We all watched each other walk through that door thinking, ‘you poor girl, it's you today,’ and feeling utterly powerless to stop it."