Latest news with #AngelaCraggs
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Mohamed al-Fayed: Almost 150 people report crimes to investigation, Met Police say
The Metropolitan Police have almost 150 people have come forward to report a crime as part of their investigation into former Harrods boss Mohamed al-Fayed. The total of 146 reports were revealed as part of a video update sent to alleged victims earlier this week. It comes a month after Scotland Yard apologised to alleged victims for the distress they have suffered. In a letter leaked to the BBC, the officer leading the investigation said she was "acutely aware the case is especially distressing to all those who have suffered". "Not least due to the fact that the main suspect will now never directly face justice for his crimes and, for this, I am truly sorry," Detective Chief Superintendent Angela Craggs wrote. Al-Fayed died in 2023 aged 94. The Met is currently conducting an investigation into how it handled historical allegations of offending by the tycoon. It will also look into any potential facilitators and enablers, and whether any misconduct or corruption occurred. A spokesperson for the force said: "The live investigation into those who could have facilitated or enabled Mohamed al-Fayed's offending continues. "The way the Met works has moved on immeasurably, and our teams have transformed the way we investigate rape and sexual offences. "We're working with partners across the criminal justice system to ensure that victim-survivors are at the heart of our response, with a greater focus on suspects and their offending. "We continue to support all victims and we urge anyone with information, whether they were directly affected by Mohamed al-Fayed's actions, or aware of others who may have been involved or committed offences, to come forward. "We cannot comment further at this time, but will provide an update as soon as we are able to and where this won't jeopardise criminal or other proceedings." The force is expected to provide more written or video updates to victims over the coming months. In November, it said detectives were investigating more than five people who may have facilitated the former Harrods boss in his alleged sexual abuse of dozens of women and girls. They are looking at individuals surrounding the businessman who could have enabled him to commit crimes which are claimed to have spanned decades between 1977 and 2014. The force is also facing allegations of police corruption, with The Guardian newspaper reporting that officers were accused of taking bribes to help him persecute staff and avoid accusations of abuse. The Met said it has transformed the way it investigates rape and serious sexual offences and is doing more to put victim-survivors at the heart of its response to these crimes. More than 100 survivors of alleged sexual abuse by Al-Fayed have entered Harrods' redress scheme, the department store said last month.
The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
Mohamed al-Fayed: Almost 150 people report crimes to investigation, Met Police say
The Metropolitan Police have almost 150 people have come forward to report a crime as part of their investigation into former Harrods boss Mohamed al-Fayed. The total of 146 reports were revealed as part of a video update sent to alleged victims earlier this week. It comes a month after Scotland Yard apologised to alleged victims for the distress they have suffered. In a letter leaked to the BBC, the officer leading the investigation said she was "acutely aware the case is especially distressing to all those who have suffered". "Not least due to the fact that the main suspect will now never directly face justice for his crimes and, for this, I am truly sorry," Detective Chief Superintendent Angela Craggs wrote. Al-Fayed died in 2023 aged 94. The Met is currently conducting an investigation into how it handled historical allegations of offending by the tycoon. It will also look into any potential facilitators and enablers, and whether any misconduct or corruption occurred. A spokesperson for the force said: "The live investigation into those who could have facilitated or enabled Mohamed al-Fayed's offending continues. "The way the Met works has moved on immeasurably, and our teams have transformed the way we investigate rape and sexual offences. "We're working with partners across the criminal justice system to ensure that victim-survivors are at the heart of our response, with a greater focus on suspects and their offending. "We continue to support all victims and we urge anyone with information, whether they were directly affected by Mohamed al-Fayed's actions, or aware of others who may have been involved or committed offences, to come forward. "We cannot comment further at this time, but will provide an update as soon as we are able to and where this won't jeopardise criminal or other proceedings." The force is expected to provide more written or video updates to victims over the coming months. In November, it said detectives were investigating more than five people who may have facilitated the former Harrods boss in his alleged sexual abuse of dozens of women and girls. They are looking at individuals surrounding the businessman who could have enabled him to commit crimes which are claimed to have spanned decades between 1977 and 2014. The force is also facing allegations of police corruption, with The Guardian newspaper reporting that officers were accused of taking bribes to help him persecute staff and avoid accusations of abuse. The Met said it has transformed the way it investigates rape and serious sexual offences and is doing more to put victim-survivors at the heart of its response to these crimes. More than 100 survivors of alleged sexual abuse by Al-Fayed have entered Harrods' redress scheme, the department store said last month.
The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
More than 140 people have reported crimes to Al Fayed investigation
The Metropolitan Police have said 146 people have come forward to report a crime as part of their investigation into former Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed. The number of reports was revealed as part of a video update sent to alleged victims earlier this week. It comes a month after Scotland Yard apologised to alleged victims for the distress they have suffered. In a letter leaked to the BBC, the officer leading the investigation said she was 'acutely aware the case is especially distressing to all those who have suffered'. 'Not least due to the fact that the main suspect will now never directly face justice for his crimes and, for this, I am truly sorry,' Detective Chief Superintendent Angela Craggs wrote. Al Fayed died in 2023 aged 94. The Met is currently conducting an investigation into how it handled historical allegations of offending by the tycoon. It will also look into any potential facilitators and enablers, and whether any misconduct or corruption occurred. A spokesperson for the force said: 'The live investigation into those who could have facilitated or enabled Mohamed Al Fayed's offending continues. 'The way the Met works has moved on immeasurably, and our teams have transformed the way we investigate rape and sexual offences. 'We're working with partners across the criminal justice system to ensure that victim-survivors are at the heart of our response, with a greater focus on suspects and their offending. 'We continue to support all victims and we urge anyone with information, whether they were directly affected by Mohamed Al Fayed's actions, or aware of others who may have been involved or committed offences, to come forward. 'We cannot comment further at this time, but will provide an update as soon as we are able to and where this won't jeopardise criminal or other proceedings.' The force is expected to provide more written or video updates to victims over the coming months. In November, it said detectives were investigating more than five people who may have facilitated the former Harrods boss in his alleged sexual abuse of dozens of women and girls. They are looking at individuals surrounding the businessman who could have enabled him to commit crimes which are claimed to have spanned decades between 1977 and 2014. The force is also facing allegations of police corruption, with The Guardian newspaper reporting that officers were accused of taking bribes to help him persecute staff and avoid accusations of abuse. The Met said it has transformed the way it investigates rape and serious sexual offences and is doing more to put victim-survivors at the heart of its response to these crimes. More than 100 survivors of alleged sexual abuse by Al Fayed have entered Harrods' redress scheme, the department store said last month.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Yahoo
Met Police apologises to alleged Mohamed Al Fayed victims, reports say
The Metropolitan Police has apologised to alleged victims of Mohamed Al Fayed for the distress they have suffered, according to reports. In a letter leaked to the BBC, the officer leading the investigation said she was 'acutely aware the case is especially distressing to all those who have suffered'. 'Not least due to the fact that the main suspect will now never directly face justice for his crimes, and for this I am truly sorry,' Detective Chief Superintendent Angela Craggs wrote. Scotland Yard did not provide a copy of the letter to the PA news agency. The force said it could not comment further because it would 'jeopardise criminal or other proceedings'. Two complaints against the Met over its handling of allegations against the former Harrods boss will be investigated by the force itself under the direction of a watchdog. The Met is currently reviewing a total of 21 allegations that were made before Mr Al Fayed died in 2023, and referred two of these to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in November. Alleged victims have repeated calls for a public inquiry into what happened. More than 100 alleged victims have contacted police to say they were sexually abused by the tycoon, the youngest of whom is thought to have been 13 at the time. A number of allegations were made against him while he was still alive. Investigators twice sent files for a charging decision to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) – once in 2008 relating to three alleged victims and again in 2015 linked to one other. On another three occasions – in 2018, 2021 and 2023 – the CPS was asked for what is called early investigative advice, but the matters were not pursued further by police. In November the Met confirmed that detectives were investigating more than five people who may have facilitated the former Harrods boss in his alleged sexual abuse of dozens of women and girls. They are looking at individuals surrounding the businessman who could have enabled him to commit crimes which are claimed to have spanned decades between 1977 and 2014. The force is also facing allegations of police corruption, with The Guardian reporting that officers were accused of taking bribes to help him persecute staff and avoid accusations of abuse.
