
Sick Mohamed Fayed raped me before Harrods bosses forced me into abortion & then fired me, says victim in bombshell book
HARRODS fiend Mohamed Fayed raped an employee who was then pressured to have an abortion by store bosses, an explosive new book claims.
Speaking for the first time, the woman using alias Belinda says a Fayed doctor helped arrange the termination of her baby after insisting: ' Harrods will pay for it.'
7
When Belinda said she wanted to meet a friend to talk matters through, it is alleged the store's head of security strong-armed her into aborting and keeping it secret.
The former perfume counter worker, who was left suicidal by her ordeal, reveals in new book The Monster Of Harrods: 'I had the abortion, they gave me an envelope with £1,000 in it — and told me that I no longer had a job.'
She adds: 'I went home and I've never been back to Harrods since.
'Losing a baby like that was hard — no woman wants to have her rapist's baby — but I never had children. I was scarred by what I went through and sometimes think about how different my life might have been if I'd never gone to work at Harrods.'
On Wednesday a group handed a letter to Downing Street calling for witnesses to be compelled to answer questions under oath about who covered up Fayed's offending.
More than 500 women have come forward to say they were raped or sexually abused by Harrods and Fulham FC owner Fayed, who died in 2023 aged 94.
If true, it would make him a predator on the scale of BBC beast Jimmy Savile, whose reign of terror emerged after his death in 2011.
Belinda's ordeal began almost 30 years ago when she got a job at the store in Knightsbridge, London.
She was soon noticed by Fayed and offered a promotion from the sales floor to the buying team, which was her dream
A few days later, he invited her to his private apartment.
Police launch probe into individuals who enabled Mohamed Al Fayed's campaign of sexual abuse
In the book, by Alison Kervin, Belinda says: 'When I look back now, I wish I'd spoken to someone . . . anyone. But I didn't. I went up to his apartment and I was raped by him.'
When she later realised she was pregnant she met Harrods doctor Wendy Snell — now dead — who told her that 'I should keep quiet about it and she'd arrange for me to have an abortion '.
She was told she would have to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) but insisted she first wanted to discuss matters with a pal, the next day.
But before she met the friend, in a South London cafe, she realised she was being followed by two men — one of whom she recognised as Harrods security chief John Macnamara.
Belinda says Macnamara — now also dead — 'turned nasty' and made her sign the NDA, saying 'he knew where my parents lived'.
In Fayed's lifetime, 21 women made allegations against him. Four were reports of rape, 16 of sexual assault and one of trafficking.
The Met Police twice sent files for a charging decision to the CPS relating to three victims in 2008 and one other in 2015.
On a further three occasions, in 2018, 2021 and 2023, the CPS was asked for what is called early investigative advice from cops. But no charges were ever brought.
Last year, though, the Met said it was investigating at least five people it believes may have assisted or enabled Fayed's alleged offences.
7
7
The Met is being investigated by the police watchdog amid claims it failed to pursue him properly.
In The Monster of Harrods, author Alison shares Belinda's experiences which would scar her for life.
Belinda says: 'I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said that Fayed ruined everything for me, for ever, the day he raped me.'
She was working on the perfume sales floor when she found herself at the centre of Fayed's fantasies.
Belinda says in the book: 'The chairman's personal assistant called and asked me to come to his office.
'He seemed genuinely impressed and said he could get me a job in the buying department, which was something I desperately wanted.'
A few days later, Belinda was moved to the department. Then she was invited to Fayed's private apartment, and thought he might explain what her new role involved.
'SOILED GOODS'
Little did she know what horror awaited her behind closed doors.
She says that after the rape, she fled the apartment, past security guards, and ran home.
Next morning she called in sick — and when she went in the morning after that, her desk had disappeared and she had been moved back to the sales floor.
She says: 'I was soiled goods. I was made to feel disgusting, and I'd done nothing wrong other than be attacked by this man.'
Two months went by, with Belinda hiding whenever Fayed went past.
She says: 'I was worried if he saw me there he might sack me.'
One day Belinda realised it had been ages since her period.
She says: 'I went to the chemist's and bought a pregnancy testing kit.
'It was positive. I hadn't slept with anyone for months. I knew it must be my rapist's child.
'I felt scared, alone and terrified. I kept thinking that maybe the test was wrong. Then I made the most stupid mistake of my life. I went to see Dr Wendy Snell.
"I told her I might be pregnant and she gave me a test to do. When it came back positive, I burst into tears and explained what had happened.
'She told me I should keep quiet and she'd arrange for me to have an abortion. Harrods would pay for it and no one would find out. She told me to come back next day and it would be arranged.
"All I had to do was sign an NDA and the rest would be taken care of.
'At no time did she say, 'Do you want this baby?' That wasn't on the cards because it wouldn't have suited the chairman, and his views were all that mattered.
'I didn't go back the next day. I felt too nervous and confused. Instead, I phoned in sick and made a plan to meet a friend in a cafe to see what she thought I should do.
'I left home at 11am and realised straightaway I was being followed.
'As I got to the cafe in Putney, two men approached me. I recognised one from the store. I now know he was John Macnamara.'
She was told she would be given money for an abortion and needed to sign an NDA.
But Belinda said she wanted to talk to someone first. She says: 'They turned nasty and said there was no time to mess around and I had to sign it straightaway.
'One — I think it was Macnamara — said he knew where my parents lived and would cause trouble if I breathed a word.
"I was basically made to sign the NDA, then they said I was to leave for work as usual the next morning, and they would accompany me to have an abortion. My parents are both alive and neither knows.'
7
7
Belinda says she had the abortion, was given £1,000 and told she was no longer a Harrods employee.
She adds: 'The fact the doctor was in on it and was acting against my best interests was just awful.
'That vile organisation headed by a monster, it makes me want to scream and lash out. I wish he was still alive. I wish we could all go and kill him.
'How does one man get away with decades of abusing women and never get caught?'
Monster made PA bray like a donkey
By Oliver Harvey, Chief Features Writer
TWO more women tell book The Monster of Harrods how Fayed abused staff and loved to exert his power.
Philippa, not her real name, was 18 when she went to work for him as a PA.
On her second day she was told to sit next to Fayed with six experienced PAs lined up in front of them. She recalls: 'It was clear he was unhappy, and this was his way of getting petty revenge.'
She says Fayed pointed to the PA at the end and said: 'Your shoes are too high — on the floor, crawl like a donkey.'
Philippa remembers seeing the woman had flat shoes on. But that was irrelevant.
Fayed wanted to abuse someone, so he'd make up any old reason to do so.
Philippa said: 'Fayed shouted: 'Louder, more like a donkey, bray like a donkey.'
'The woman was crying. It was horrible and humiliating. Some of the other women started crying too. That made him laugh even more.
'Then he urged the woman to kick the other women, adding: 'Kick harder. Come on, donkey.' He threw loads of £20 notes and told her to pick them up in her mouth.
'Fayed laughed like he'd never seen anything so funny.
'It was awful. He turned to me and said, 'Which one next?' I didn't say anything, and he told me that if I didn't choose, I'd be sacked.
'There must have been a knock at the door or a phone rang because he was distracted and dismissed us all.'
Another woman, 'Ellen', says she was walking through Harrods with Fayed when he saw a man on crutches.
'Find out who that is,' he said. Ellen approached the man. 'He explained he'd broken two toes playing football in the Harrods team.
'I told him he'd done well to come in the next day and asked him whether his foot hurt.
"He said it was very painful but he didn't want to leave the department short-staffed. I thought that was incredible of him.
'I told Fayed. I thought he'd be thrilled by the loyalty.
'But he said: 'I don't like cripples - get rid of him.' I said: 'What? Sack him?'
'Fayed said: 'Yes, no cripples and no fatties. He can leave straightaway.''
THE Monster of Harrods: Al-Fayed and the Secret, Shameful History of a British Institution, by Alison Kervin, is on sale on June 5.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Reuters
23 minutes ago
- Reuters
Hims to acquire UK-based startup Zava as it expands international presence
NEW YORK, June 3 (Reuters) - Telehealth platform Hims & Hers (HIMS.N), opens new tab said on Tuesday it will acquire London-based startup Zava for an undisclosed amount, allowing it to launch its offerings in Germany, France and Ireland and reach more international patients. The move comes as Hims is adjusting to a regulatory ban in the United States on manufacturing mass copies of Novo Nordisk's ( opens new tab popular weight-loss drug Wegovy, that took effect on May 22. Hims began offering copies of Wegovy in 2024, and saw a boost in its revenues, when the branded version of the highly in-demand drug was in shortage. Shares of the telehealth firm have dropped nearly 9% in the last two weeks. It recently entered into an agreement with Novo to help patients access brand-name Wegovy, and plans to enter the market for low testosterone and menopause treatments in pursuit of new growth opportunities. Hims did not provide financial terms of the deal, but a company spokesperson said these details will be shared with its second-quarter results expected in August. It plans to fund the acquisition through cash on its balance sheet at closing. The deal is expected to close in the second half of this year. Backed by equity firm HPE Growth, Zava provides medical consultations and delivery of prescription medicines - including weight loss drugs Mounjaro and Wegovy - to its more than 1 million customers across United Kingdom, Germany, France and Ireland. Hims said it plans to introduce personalized skin care, weight loss and other offerings for patients in these markets and will introduce an option for patients to interact with their healthcare providers in local languages. Last week, Hims also said it will cut about 4% of its workforce but still plans to hire for roles related to its long-term growth strategy.


Daily Record
23 minutes ago
- Daily Record
I quit vapes overnight after doing 1 thing as disposable e-cigarettes are now banned
A UK-wide ban on disposable vapes came into force on Sunday, June 1 A nationwide ban on disposable vapes has been enforced from Sunday, June 1, making it illegal to sell single-use e-cigarettes across the UK. While reusable vaping products will still be available, the ban is anticipated to encourage many vapers to quit - a feat I accomplished after three years of addiction to these colourful devices. I never imagined I'd be grappling with a nicotine addiction in my thirties. I was never a heavy smoker; it was a habit I picked up at university and quickly dropped. However, vaping posed a completely different challenge. It turned out that I was inhaling the equivalent of 100 cigarettes per week through vaping. Like any addiction, the habit subtly took over - initially, it was just a few puffs during social gatherings or post-dinner relaxation. Before I knew it, I was dependent on disposable vapes like Juul and Lost Mary, never leaving home without one. Boredom soon became an excuse for vaping. In no time at all, I was vaping from dawn till dusk, reports the Express. I vaped at home, at my desk, while watching telly - I even vaped in bed. It all seemed harmless until the side effects began to appear: constant dry mouth, headaches, shortness of breath, and mental fog. I realised I needed to quit, but I had no idea where to begin. A Lost Mary BM600 disposable vape, available in a variety of fruit flavours, is roughly equivalent to 20 cigarettes due to its 20mg nicotine content. At my worst, I was using five a week. This means that I was taking in 100mg of nicotine, equivalent to 100 cigarettes. However, the maximum legal nicotine level in the UK for these devices is 40mg of nicotine, which is dispensed over 500 to 600 puffs. The NHS has stated that while vaping is less harmful than traditional smoking, it's not without risks. The long-term effects of e-cigarettes remain unclear, but they have been linked with lung damage, causing inflammation and tissue harm which can lead to chronic coughing, breathlessness and other respiratory issues. The NHS also warns of additional side effects such as dry mouth and throat, irritation, headaches, and dizziness. Nicotine, a key ingredient in e-cigarettes, is a highly addictive substance that can result in withdrawal symptoms when attempting to quit. Furthermore, e-cigarettes pose a significant environmental hazard due to their composition of plastic, copper, rubber and a lithium-ion battery, all of which can take decades to decompose. Despite numerous attempts to quit, including gradually reducing usage, chewing gum, and leaving my vape by the front door, I always found myself returning to it. I would justify my actions by convincing myself that at least I wasn't smoking cigarettes, but deep down, I knew I was still hooked. Then, one day, I stumbled upon a book that transformed my perspective: Dopamine Nation: Why our Addiction to Pleasure is Causing us Pain by Dr. Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist and addiction specialist at Stanford University. Though her speciality primarily lies in the US opioid crisis, she has delved into various forms of addiction, from shopping and food to social media and sex. Dr Lembke argues that addiction isn't just about the substance itself, but rather the brain's reward system. Nicotine provides an immediate dopamine rush, offering a transient sense of pleasure. The initial pleasurable buzz nicotine offers quickly dissipates, leaving a user grappling with discomfort, irritability, and anxiety. This vicious cycle is fuelled by an escalating reliance on nicotine just to feel 'normal', with alterations to brain pathways vital for learning, stress management, and self-regulation making quitting the habit seem impossible. For me, the realisation that my relentless pursuit for that satisfying hit from my vape was actually causing more harm than good was a revelation. After immersing myself in a life-altering book, my mindset underwent a dramatic shift, empowering me to quit vaping for good. The initial 48 hours off the vape were torturous; I was besieged by an intense yearning for dopamine, fatigue set in, and my mood plummeted, leaving me longing for my beloved juicy peach-flavoured Lost Mary. Yet, by day five, a noticeable shift occurred - the fog in my brain cleared, my vigour returned, and it dawned on me that I had been veiled in a nicotine fog for far too long. Kicking the habit was far from simple, but grasping the mechanics of addiction proved pivotal. Acknowledging that my vaping habit was merely a series of ephemeral pleasures followed by dissatisfaction altered my perspective on other vices, like alcohol and sugar. Having silenced the "nicotine noise", I now celebrate one month without vaping. Here are some vital insights from 'Dopamine Nation' that ignited this change:. 1. Minimise temptations. 2. Accept discomfort. 3. Opt for abstinence. 4. Utilise prosocial shame. Rather than concealing my battle, I informed my friends and family about my decision to quit. Knowing that they were observing and rooting for me provided a sense of accountability. For those finding it tough to stop vaping, I can't recommend this book enough, priced at £9.55 on Amazon. It might just be what you need to break free overnight. Additionally, the NHS offers valuable advice on quitting vaping.


Daily Mail
24 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Dark true story behind hit drama What It Feels Like For a Girl: Transgender author Paris Lees endured horrific sexual abuse and was jailed at 16
A trans woman who was sexually assaulted as a teenager and endured a stint in prison has been praised for the 'raw' and 'totally fearless' new TV show about her life. Critics have commended the BBC 's adaptation of journalist Paris Lees' memoir, What It Feels Like for a Girl, which looks at the British writer's tumultuous history and at times dark journey with self-discovery. The presenter, now understood to be around 37, grew up in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, where she at the time identified as a gay man, and at 18 served eight months in prison for a robbery she committed two years earlier. She previously spoken openly about the shocking abuse and bullying she faced in school - including being groomed by 'grown men' who she had sex with in 'public toilets. The show explores her painful past, injected with optimism humour, and bright Y2K aesthetics, with actor Ellis Howard at the helm as protagonist Byron - initially percevied by those around them as a boy. 'Byron' is a pseudonym Paris used in her book as well - an homage to the Nottinghamshire poet. The first episode sees them introduced to 'sex work' - although they're underage and cannot truly consent - through boyfriend Max (played by Calam Lynch), before later becoming embroiled in a robbery plot with dangerous and enigmatic character Liam (Jake Dunn). In her memoir, Paris detailed an account, during this time of her life, that saw her going into a public toilet and being sexually abused on her 14th birthday. In an interview with The Guardian, she explained however that it took her years to understand the gravity of what had happened. 'Listen, I was a rent boy,' she said. 'Because it's written from my perspective at that time... And, of course, you can never completely remove your perspective of now, and what you want to say today, but I really tried to make it authentic to that time, and I didn't realise quite how bad it was. 'It's taken me many years to realise that it was abuse. I wasn't forced, but it was statutory rape. What would you call it? If somebody in their 30s or their 40s was having sex with a 14-year-old? It's abuse. And I wanted you to be horrified.' Remarking on seeing old childhood photos of herself, she added: 'But I look at this body, and this is the body of a 14- or 15-year-old, and this is the body that older men were lusting after, wanting to grab hold of, wanting to have sex with. 'And it makes me really sad. And it makes me sick, actually. It's weird thinking about myself in the third person, but I really want to go and just give that person a hug. And say, "You poor baby, please keep yourself safe. Please look after yourself."' Paris has also been open about her at times difficult relationship with her parents - but has also said their relationship has evolved a lot since her childhood. When she was 16, Paris was arrested after she and another rent boy she was 'sweet on' decided to rob a client - a plotline that is also explored in the BBC adaptation. They stole his bank cards and took out large amount of cash - but the writer has admitted jail was far from the worst time of her life. Reflecting on it on Lorraine in 2021, she explained: 'Weirdly prison for me was a real turning point. 'There are some really difficult things in there [her book] and a lot of this was abuse, and prison wasn't the worst time of my life ironically. 'I've been thinking about prison during lockdown, because I've been here before when you don't have your freedom and we really take our freedom for granted sometimes. It gave me a real space to think and think about the direction I wanted to go in, in my life. 'I look back at that screwed up kid, who is desperately unhappy and would do anything to escape, did do anything to escape, and got into a lot of trouble and look at this person on the screen and think, "This is two different people."' 'It's why it's taken me so long and it's really emotional to be here today,' she added. 'It's taken seven years to tell this story. It's not been easy story to write and it wasn't the easiest story to live to tell you the truth. 'It has been a difficult one for my family, my mum and dad don't read this with undiluted pleasure. It's dealing with some really tough issues, but I think we need to have that conversation because that was my childhood.' 'I was just a naïve teenager when they sent me away,' she said to the BBC, of her eight-month stint in jail. 'I had dropped out of college. Basically, I had gone off the rails because I was terrified of going to prison. I ended up taking lots of drugs. I had a lot of time for thinking when I was in prison.' Once she was out, Paris focused on getting her A-levels - but was still not out as trans. 'I didn't feel like I could transition at college because it was a little bit rough. I didn't think I could face it,' she explained. It was when her grandmother - who she was living with for the duration of her studies - passed away that she got a wake-up call. 'She died and I just thought, "do you know what, life is too short. I can't do this, I need to express myself and who I am",' Paris said. 'In the space of six weeks I went from living in Nottingham as a boy with my grandma still alive, to living in Brighton as a girl.' It wasn't always easy, and 'blending in' was tough. Paris admitted she was not only discriminated against for her identity, but struggled to get work because of her criminal record as well. Eventually, a doctor referred her to Charing Cross Gender Identity Clinic - later founding META, a magazine for the trans community. Over the years, she began writing as a freelancer for national titles before getting some impressive accolades in the industry; Paris was Vogue's first trans columnist, as well as being the first trans woman to present shows on BBC Radio 1 and Channel 4. In 2021, she released her lauded memoir - now revered in its BBC adaptation. Describing it as both 'deeply disturbing and totally fearless', The Guardian 's Rachel Aroesti praised the optimism and joy inherent in the series despite the at times difficult subject matter. 'Despite... the fact they are repeatedly groomed and exploited by older men – Byron never comes across as a victim,' she penned. 'We are not invited to pick holes in the fearlessness they display when propositioning a police officer while sporting a wig and mini dress. Once Byron starts regularly dressing in women's clothes, sex takes on a new meaning. 'Risky, borderline violent encounters aren't self-destructive – they're self-affirmative, an opportunity to achieve something crucial.' 'This series is very bingeable,' Carol Midgley of The Times also said. 'It is funny, heartbreaking, occasionally disturbing, sharply written and well acted, most notably by Ellis Howard, who plays Byron with wit and, at times, devastating poignancy. No one was more surprised than me that I quickly watched all eight episodes. 'Lees became the first trans woman to present shows on BBC Radio 1 and Channel 4 and also became a Vogue columnist. There is much humanity and sadness in the writing, but there is a great deal of humour too.' Elsewhere, The i 's Emily Baker praised the series as an 'absolute riot'. 'In having such a strongly realised, fully formed character in Byron, What It Feels Like a Girl can push the envelope into territory often seen as far too ghastly for television, particularly on the BBC,' she penned. 'By the end of tonight's two opening episodes, Byron finds his tribe in the "Fallen Divas" – a gang of trans girls and gay men who show him a different side to his hometown and the possibilities within it. 'It is joyful and funny, but that dark streak returns when Byron falls in with another pimp, Liam, who involves him in a crime that will turn his life upside down.' And writing for The Independent, Nick Hilton felt the 'messy coming-of-age tale is both universal and also rooted in the transgender experience'. The series is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.