Al Fayed’s son says allegations against father have ‘thrown into question the loving memory I had of him’

Mohamed al Fayed’s son Omar says he is “horrified” about the allegations against his leisurely father, asserting it has “thrown into question the loving memory I had of him”.

A string of accusations against the billionaire aged Harrods and Fulham FC proprietor, who died final year vulnerable 94, have emerged in most modern days following an investigation by the BBC.

The claims embody 5 accusations of rape and multiple allegations of sexual abuse. Among these who have reach forward are aged personnel at the luxurious department store in Knightsbridge, central London.

Omar Fayed acknowledged: “I am horrified and deeply concerned by the allegations recently brought to light against my late father.

“The extent and explicit nature of the allegations are gorgeous and has thrown into question, the loving memory I had of him.

“How this matter could have been concealed for so long and in so many ways, raises further disturbing questions.”

Omar additionally acknowledged that even though he cherished his father “very much” and he used to be a “wonderful dad, that aspect of our relationship… does not blind me from an objective assessment of circumstances”.

He acknowledged he stood “unequivocally in support of any legitimate investigation into these allegations”, together with: “The alleged victims and public deserve full transparency and accountability.”

Omar went on: “I will continue to support the principles of truth, justice, accountability, and fairness, regardless of where that journey may lead. No one is above the law.”

Read more:
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‘Dozens more survivors reach forward’

A crew of barristers representing the alleged victims has acknowledged there has been an “enormous” response to the investigation.

Justice for Harrods Survivors, headed by attorneys together with Dean Armstrong KC, Bruce Drummond, Maria Mulla and Gloria Allred, acknowledged there at the second are “60 survivors” as phase of the crew’s pronounce against Harrods, “with more to come”.

The crew additionally acknowledged “credible evidence” of abuse had emerged from these working at Fayed’s other agencies, together with Fulham FC, which he owned between 1997 and 2013.

It comes after the Metropolitan Police confirmed on Thursday it used to be investigating a quantity of unusual allegations made against Fayed, on high of outdated reviews made by 19 separate girls.

The drive acknowledged this can attain “full reviews of all existing allegations” of incidents acknowledged to have taken situation between 1979 and 2013, to verify there are “no new lines of inquiry based on new information which has emerged”.

Detectives added whereas it used to be now not that you just may perhaps perhaps most doubtless also mediate of to insist prison proceedings against any person who had died, the drive would calm “fully explore whether any other individuals could be pursued for any criminal offences”.

What passed off about the long-established complaints?

The Met acknowledged the initial complaints made by 19 girls had been reported to them between 2005 and 2023, together with three allegations of rape, 15 sexual assaults and one related to trafficking.

Police approached the Crown Prosecution Carrier 5 instances, together with twice where a file of proof used to be passed on in 2009 and 2015.

No further circulation used to be taken against Fayed in respect of the long-established complaints.

The recent Harrods managing director Michael Ward has acknowledged in a outdated observation he used to be “not aware” of the “criminality and abuse” and described it as a “shameful period in the business’s history”.

Mr Ward apologised and acknowledged the enterprise “failed our colleagues”.

A spokesperson for Fulham FC urged Sky News: “We remain in the process of establishing whether anyone at the club is or has been affected by the reports concerning Mr Al Fayed.”

They added any person with recordsdata may perhaps contact the membership or police.