Latest news with #FulhamFC
Times
a day ago
- Business
- Times
How Richard Caring's son created Fulham's coolest new club
He shoots, he scores. Shahid Khan, the billionaire businessman who owns Fulham FC — and the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars — has added a trophy development to Craven Cottage football ground. The private members' club called Lighthouse Social, on the top three floors of the new Riverside stand at Fulham, has views up and down the Thames and sightlines across London to the City. Its chic, deeply inviting interiors that are opening June 11 were a team effort. Jamie Caring, consultant on the project since its inception, was the initial signing to the squad. Caring, who worked under Nick Jones, rolling out Soho House outposts around the world, says: 'A lot of clubs would say, we're a home from home. But I think a lot of people's homes aren't very exciting — in the nicest possible way. And I guess, Lighthouse Social is more like the apartment of the coolest friend you know.' Caring, who is the son of Richard Caring, the owner of Mayfair clubs such as Annabel's, Mark's Club, George, Harry's Bar and the Bath & Racquets Club, says: 'Usually a club has a protagonist behind it, right? They think, we really want to impress people with this, here's a room that's made of chrome or something. Smart people like Mr Khan realise that the club is not necessarily for him. It's for the community that you want to build.' The style of the club at Fulham Pier is quite distinct from his father's glitzy gaffs and a move on, too, from the cosy comfort zones of the Soho House brand. It's low-key, glamorous and light-hearted. Apply here if you fancy watching the boat race, margarita in hand, from under the pergolas and parasols of the roof terrace. It's a sophisticated hangout for fun-loving west Londoners who frankly cannot be arsed taxiing to the West End to dine, drink and dance. Stuart Forbes, the second member of the design dream team behind Lighthouse Social, was perfectly placed for the role, since he spent 13 years on the GB rowing squad. As lead designers, his practice, Stuart Forbes Associates, delivered the project, from initial layouts through to final finishes, furniture and fixtures. The interior flourishes were supplied by the Parisian interior designers Dion & Arles, the duo behind the elegant, arty interiors of restaurants such as Bar des Prés and Il Gattopardo and Dovetale. Carey says: 'When they presented their designs, we were partly mystified, but also really excited because I think it's hard to create a club environment that really feels unique.' • Read more luxury reviews, advice and insights from our experts So who will make up the Lighthouse family? The goal is to recruit an even split between men and women. The minimum age is 25 — 'it's not a youth club.' The oldest founder member at present is 75 years old and the youngest will be among the child members (1-6 years), whose annual subscription will gain them access to the crèche, Little Lighthouse. Under-17s, while they can be invited by members as guests, must depart before 6pm; dogs, as is non-negotiable in this postcode, are welcome at all hours. Member gain access to superlative loafing opportunities. There are more lounges than the most dedicated lounger can ever lounge in, each decorated and furnished in a subtly different style, from the art deco glamour of the third floor River bar — think fancy Murano glass lights on a monumental marble topped bar — to the English eccentricity of the Conservatory. There's a dining room on the fourth floor, clad in a sage green timber trellis backed by mirrors, and featuring seating upholstered in William Morris print. This is the last place you expected to encounter The Strawberry Thief. 'If you think back to the original Greek Street in Soho, it had 20 rooms, but they weren't so markedly different in terms of look and feel as these ones are,' Caring says. 'The designs are inspirational and they're a bit mad, which people love.' On the third floor are 11 interiors: sitting rooms, salons, dining rooms, bars, party spaces and cosy snugs, with rooms flowing one to another as gracefully as the Thames below. On the fourth floor, six rooms (again sans doors) include a games room called The Escape. 'I think that every member will have their own favourite space,' Caring says. His is the fifth floor rooftop. 'There's a magic to being on those terraces. If you think about elevated places where you can see nearly the whole of London, there just aren't many, in the centre of London. I think that they're pretty epic.' With architectural lighting design by Nulty, pergolas by Renson and parasols by Tucci, the terrace has a Riviera feel, and accordingly the east and west sides of the rooftop have been named after south of France resorts. There is 'Nice' on the Hammersmith side and 'St Tropez' facing towards Putney. There is more seating in Nice, while St Trop is party central, the floor cleared for dancing. Both command panoramic views of South Bank boat club and school playing fields across the river. It's time to pick a side. One mother has already declared her preferred way of watching her son play football will henceforth be from Nice. Those who opt for St Tropez can look down and see another lighthouse highlight — an infinity pool on the storey below, part of a separate spa where members can book exclusive swim sessions. For my money, the smaller spaces are the gems, furnished in custom seating covered in luxury upholstery from Lelièvre, Dedar, Pierre Frey and Liberty London. On the third floor, there's The Carriage Room, its red plush seats arranged in a series of booths, like a luxury train. Next door is The Overlook, a room where the walls are lined with 16 panels of custom wallpaper depicting a pinkish shepherds' delight evening sky. On the other side of The Carriage is Lillie's bar — named after the local socialite Lillie Langtry — with a baby grand piano that has been christened Celine. The most Instagrammable interior of all, in the proud tradition of crowd-pleasing members' club loos, is the unisex lavatory on the fourth floor. Mirrored flanks of the long slim island of basins in the centre of the room reflect back the chequered marble floor, and hand washers have the most magnificent river view in town. There's space to hang out, gossip — room to rollerskate should the mood take you. My only concern is that it's unclear where members will fix their lippy. But there's no doubt the Lighthouse team will supply a solution. Every detail of this riverside retreat is being revisited, finessed and refined up to the moment of opening. Carey says: 'When people ask me what my dad is like, what he taught me, I always say — and this even comes from being a child doing my homework — his mantra was 'being good enough is never good enough'. If it's a 6 out of 10, then you're not trying hard enough.' Well, this was a 10. Back of the net. For over-30s, membership costs £1,200 a year and for 25-30, £780 a year; access to the crèche for a child member — aged 1-6, whose parent or carer must be a member — is £840 a year. If you are 7-17 you can come in as a guest of a member and disappear before 6pm.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Disgraced businessman and sex attacker Mohamed al Fayed 'bought Princess Diana's old school to groom and rape underage girls', sensational new book on dead monster claims
Mohamed al Fayed bought Princess Diana 's old school to groom and rape underage girls, a new book has claimed. A former teacher at West Heath School in Sevenoaks, Kent has revealed how the disgraced businessman bought the school on the promise to protect Diana's legacy but instead used it to prey on vulnerable school pupils. The former owner of Harrods, who died in 2023 aged 94, raped one school girl, caused the suicide of another and even fathered a baby with one underage pupil, the bombshell book alleges. In an extract from The Monster Of Harrods seen by The Sun, author Alison Kervin reveals how the depraved Egyptian business mogul targeted vulnerable school girls as well as young players at Fulham FC. Just a year after the death of the Princess of Wales in May 1998, al Fayed bought West Heath School which was teetering on the brink of financial collapse, under the guise of protecting a place which had been so special to the late royal. The Monster Of Harrods alleged that the businessman would regularly wander around the school unaccompanied, chatting to underage pupils and a former teacher revealed his visits always seemed inappropriate and 'creepy'. The former teacher explained he believed al Fayed was grooming the pupils and said he would promise them careers after they had finished and shower them with gifts from Harrods. The former owner of Fulham FC would also allegedly give girls lifts in his Rolls Royce and invite them to his house. Mohamed al Fayed (pictured in 2007) bought Princess Diana 's old school to groom and rape underage girls, a new book has claimed. He said: 'He shouldn't have been there. Benefactor or not, a man of that age should not be mixing with young girls, offering them lifts in his and chauffeur-driven limo, and buying them presents before inviting them to his house. How is any of that appropriate?'. The tell-all book also claims that one pupil was attacked by al Fayed in a bathroom, ripping her clothes and hurting her after inviting her to Harrods. A former pupil described how her friend was terrified to share what had happened to her: 'He told her that her parents would be told about how she had behaved and all the school would know that she was the one who had closed the school down. She was terrified - she felt like she was to blame, and nothing I said would calm her down.' Author Ms Kervin alleges that the brutal businessman threatened to close the school if the pupil reported him and refused to go to the police or to lawyers until the litany sexual abuse was revealed following his death. The former pupil said she was also aware of at least one other pupil who was raped by the predator and another who gave birth to a secret child. She also believes one woman committed suicide because of her experience with al Fayed. The school told The Sun: 'We do not tolerate abuse or harassment in any form.' In Sepetember 2024, in response to the BBC documentary Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods they commented: 'We have no further information other than what is currently in the news.' And his abuse did not end with the Princess Diana's former school. A former footballer for the Fulham Women's team al Fayed set up revealed she was humiliated and sexually harassed by the club owner. In The Monster Of Harrods, she alleges that she was desperate to become a footballer and took al Fayed at his word when he promised to help her make the team. She described sharing her hopes with the businessman who offered to speak with her privately in his apartment. But when she arrived, she claimed the conversation was centred around whether she had a boyfriend and if she had lost her virginity. When conversation did turn to football, the promising player said she was asked to show off her legs and despite feeling uncomfortable, took off her tracksuit bottoms at which point al Fayed tried to reach out and touch her. She said he also asked her to take off her underwear but he felt uncomfortable and ran for the door only to find it locked. She said she repeatedly banged on the door while al Fayed laughed at her. After her experience she said she fell out of love with the game and eventually left the club. And the aspiring player was one of several who experienced harassment and abuse at the hands of the al Fayed and despite them all reporting it to the police, they say nothing ever came of it. Mohamed al Fayed was hit with an avalanche of rape and assault claims after at least two former Harrods workers told a BBC documentary they had been raped or molested by the Egyptian tycoon. Meanwhile last year, the Met Police revealed they were investigating 40 new allegations against al Fayed and others since the BBC documentary. The 40 new allegations related to 40 alleged victims and were in addition to allegations police were aware of before the BBC's investigation and documentary, Scotland Yard said. Prior to recent media coverage, 21 allegations were made against the late billionaire which resulted in crimes being recorded relating to 21 separate women between 2005 and 2023. The Met has now widened its investigation to look at associates who may have assisted and facilitated the abuse - meaning criminal charges could still be on the cards even though the direct perpetrators have died. It comes as a survivors group Justice for Harrods Survivors says it has 'credible evidence' suggesting the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated at Harrods and the billionaire's properties 'was not limited to Mr al Fayed himself'.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
How sick Mohamed Fayed bought Princess Di's old school to ‘groom & rape underage girls' in Savile-style sex abuse scheme
In an exclusive extract from The Monster Of Harrods, author Alison Kervin tells how the monster Harrods boss targeted school kids and young women at Fulham FC PREDATOR Mohamed Fayed raped and sexually assaulted girls at Princess Diana's old boarding school, a new book alleges. A former teacher tells how the ex-Harrods owner bought West Heath School in Sevenoaks, Kent, then used it to groom pupils. 6 The Monster Of Harrods claims ex-Harrods owner Mohamed Fayed bought Princess Diana's boarding school to rape and sexually assault girls Credit: Getty 6 When all the information about Fayed's sex crimes came out after his death, a former teacher at West Heath School said he 'punched the wall' and wished he done more Credit: Alamy One-time Fulham FC proprietor Fayed, who died in 2023 aged 94, is said to have raped a girl, caused the suicide of another and fathered a baby with an under-age pupil. Here, in an exclusive extract from The Monster Of Harrods, author Alison Kervin tells how depraved Fayed targeted school children as well as young women at Fulham FC. MOHAMED FAYED bought the Princess of Wales's old school in May 1998, almost a year after her death in Paris. His rationale was to protect the place where Diana had enjoyed herself (she had described it as the happiest time of her life). James (not his real name), a former teacher at the school, says: 'Fayed would come to the school sometimes and it would be the big Mohamed show, like when he came with celebrities (he brought Madonna in 2010). 'But there were other times when he'd come to just stroll in alone and start talking to the girls. 'I always thought it was creepy and odd. I know that's easy to say in hindsight, but I did. 'No one seemed to stop him because he'd saved the school from closing. He was free to wander around and do whatever he liked. 'I never thought that was right. 'I thought the head-mistress should have been walking round with him, but she might not even have realised that he was there. 'I'm haunted by what I saw' Al Fayed's security chief sheds new light on vile abuse of female staff 'He seemed to be able to turn up unannounced. Even parents aren't allowed to walk in and walk around.' I ask James whether he suspected that Fayed was trying to recruit girls. 'There's no question that he was. I know he told girls he could get them jobs and he'd give them things from Harrods. 'He invited a couple of the girls to his house. I spoke to another teacher and we went to talk to a senior member of staff about it. They said that it was fine and we shouldn't worry, but it wasn't fine. 'I knew it wasn't. I carried on worrying about it. 'He shouldn't have been there. Benefactor or not, a man of that age should not be mixing with young girls, offering them lifts in his Rolls-Royce and chauffeur-driven limo, and buying them presents before inviting them to his house. How is any of that appropriate?' 'She was terrified' When all the damning information about Fayed's sex crimes came out after his death, James says he 'literally punched the wall in anger and frustration', adding: 'I should have done more.' James put me in touch with a woman who worked at the school, but not as a teacher. Jessica (not her real name) says she knows of a girl who was abused by Fayed while attending West Heath School. Jessica tells me: 'I couldn't get her to go to the police, and she refused to tell anyone at the school but me. 'I guess that because I wasn't part of the teaching staff, she felt safer telling me. She was nervous and crying. 'Fayed had invited her to Harrods and attacked her in the boardroom. 'He didn't manage to rape her, but he tore her clothes and he hurt her. She kicked him and he slapped her and called her an ungrateful animal. 'He said that he would pull the money out of the school and close it down if she said anything. 'He told her that her parents would be told about how she had behaved and all the school would know that she was the one who had closed the school down. She was terrified — she felt like she was to blame, and nothing I said would calm her down.' 6 Mohamed Fayed would turn up at the school with celebrities, like Madonna in 2010 Credit: Alamy 6 Diana as a schoolgirl in 1970 Credit: PA:Press Association Jessica says that she has been made aware of other girls who were attacked by Fayed and at least one who was raped. She reported her findings to her lawyers and plans to contact the Harrods Survivors support group on their behalf. 'When I spoke to lawyers, they put me on to some lawyers working with a lot of the victims, and they were already aware of the claims. They said they had been contacted by girls at the school and by the relatives of one girl who had committed suicide. 'The family are convinced it was because of what she went through with Fayed. I know they are also investigating that he fathered a love child with an under-age girl. I don't know any more details. 'I don't work at the school any more, and I'm glad Fayed is dead.' In a statement, West Heath School said: 'We do not tolerate abuse or harassment in any form.' On May 29, 1997, Fayed stood in the middle of the pitch at his newly purchased trophy, Fulham Football Club, wrapped in the team's scarf, and announced: 'I have a football club.' Amanda (not her real name) was on the fringes of the Fulham women's team and keen to become the best player she could be. 'Women's football was growing,' she says, 'and Fayed had become a bit of a hero by setting up the first professional women's side.' Fayed invited [a schoolgirl ] to Harrods and attacked her. He didn't manage to rape her, but he tore her clothes and he hurt her. He said he'd pull money out of the school if she said anything Amanda was still at school while training at Craven Cottage. She says she told her mum that Fayed would be visiting the training ground and her mum said: 'Be nice to him — make sure you stand out from the crowd.' When Fayed walked in, Amanda says that the place went quiet and everyone stopped what they were doing. She was nervous but remembered her mum's words, so she bounded up to him, put out her hand to shake his hand, and said, 'Hello, I'm Amanda and I'm hoping to get into the first team soon.' Little did she know that this was manna from heaven for Fayed — a pretty young woman who wanted something that he could get for her. 'Ran for the door' 'He came over to me later and invited me to come to his apartment to discuss my role at Fulham and whether he could help me to make it into the first team. 'I was so excited. He told me that someone from the club would drive me in, and he'd make sure I got home safely. 'When I got to his apartment he didn't even mention football. All he wanted to know was whether I had a boyfriend, had I lost my virginity, had I ever kissed a man? 'He was sitting right next to me and had his hand on my thigh, stroking my leg as we talked. 'He said I had good legs and they'd be perfect for football. He asked me to show them to him.' He [Fayed] asked me to bend over, and he told me to take my knickers off. I realised that was all wrong and ran for the door Amanda was wearing her tracksuit and had no desire to remove the trousers. She remembers she felt awkward and confused. 'I can get you a place in the team,' Fayed told her. 'I own the club, I can do whatever I like. 'I need to see your legs to see whether they're strong enough.' Amanda took down her tracksuit trousers and says that Fayed then became like an animal, reaching out to try to touch her. 'He asked me to bend over, and he told me to take my knickers off. I realised that was all wrong and ran for the door, but my tracksuit bottoms were round my ankles and I was struggling to pull them up while running. 'I got to the door and it was locked. I banged and banged on it with all my might. I'd just about got my trousers pulled up when I heard a voice on the other side, so I screamed and kicked at the door. 'I was sure Fayed was going to come running after me but he stayed in his seat, laughing at me. The door opened and I ran out. 'I didn't stay in football long after that . . . it didn't hold anything like the same joy for me. 'I stopped going to training and slowly drifted away from the club.' 6 One-time Fulham FC proprietor Fayed, who died in 2023 aged 94 Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd Amanda says of reporting the incident to the police: 'I tried, but they weren't really interested, so I left the police station.' Three of the Fulham players I have interviewed also went to the police to report Fayed, but nothing ever happened. One other story that arose after I talked to players at Fulham concerns Kevin Keegan, the former Liverpool, Hamburg and England star, who was brought in to coach the Fulham men's team. Keegan left Fulham when he became England manager in 1999, citing the difficulties of coaching club and country at the same time. Fayed said he would let Keegan go because he was a patriot. 'I've given you my Keegan,' he quipped at the time, 'Now can I have my British passport?' But there are stories that the situation was much more complicated than that. Apparently Fayed and Keegan fell out because the fax machine that Fayed had given to Keegan for home use when he started at the club had stopped working. Rather than call the club, Keegan went to a local repair centre, where a bugging device was found in the machine. Once Keegan realised that Fayed possessed the ability to listen in on everything he and others said within the safety of his home, he decided to quit. Keegan could not be reached for comment. The Monster Of Harrods: Al-Fayed And The Secret, Shameful History Of A British Institution, by Alison Kervin (Harper Collins), is on sale on Thursday.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
How sick Mohamed Fayed bought Princess Di's old school to ‘groom & rape underage girls' in Savile-style sex abuse scheme
PREDATOR Mohamed Fayed raped and sexually assaulted girls at Princess Diana's old boarding school, a new book alleges. A former teacher tells how the ex-Harrods owner bought West Heath School in Sevenoaks, Kent, then used it to groom pupils. 6 6 One-time Fulham FC proprietor Fayed, who died in 2023 aged 94, is said to have raped a girl, caused the suicide of another and fathered a baby with an under-age pupil. Here, in an exclusive extract from The Monster Of Harrods, author Alison Kervin tells how depraved Fayed targeted school children as well as young women at Fulham FC. MOHAMED FAYED bought the Princess of Wales's old school in May 1998, almost a year after her death in Paris. His rationale was to protect the place where Diana had enjoyed herself (she had described it as the happiest time of her life). James (not his real name), a former teacher at the school, says: 'Fayed would come to the school sometimes and it would be the big Mohamed show, like when he came with celebrities (he brought Madonna in 2010). 'But there were other times when he'd come to just stroll in alone and start talking to the girls. 'I always thought it was creepy and odd. I know that's easy to say in hindsight, but I did. 'No one seemed to stop him because he'd saved the school from closing. He was free to wander around and do whatever he liked. 'I never thought that was right. 'I thought the head-mistress should have been walking round with him, but she might not even have realised that he was there. 'He seemed to be able to turn up unannounced. Even parents aren't allowed to walk in and walk around.' I ask James whether he suspected that Fayed was trying to recruit girls. 'There's no question that he was. I know he told girls he could get them jobs and he'd give them things from Harrods. 'He invited a couple of the girls to his house. I spoke to another teacher and we went to talk to a senior member of staff about it. They said that it was fine and we shouldn't worry, but it wasn't fine. 'I knew it wasn't. I carried on worrying about it. 'He shouldn't have been there. Benefactor or not, a man of that age should not be mixing with young girls, offering them lifts in his Rolls-Royce and chauffeur-driven limo, and buying them presents before inviting them to his house. How is any of that appropriate?' 'She was terrified' When all the damning information about Fayed's sex crimes came out after his death, James says he 'literally punched the wall in anger and frustration', adding: 'I should have done more.' James put me in touch with a woman who worked at the school, but not as a teacher. Jessica (not her real name) says she knows of a girl who was abused by Fayed while attending West Heath School. Jessica tells me: 'I couldn't get her to go to the police, and she refused to tell anyone at the school but me. 'I guess that because I wasn't part of the teaching staff, she felt safer telling me. She was nervous and crying. 'Fayed had invited her to Harrods and attacked her in the boardroom. 'He didn't manage to rape her, but he tore her clothes and he hurt her. She kicked him and he slapped her and called her an ungrateful animal. 'He said that he would pull the money out of the school and close it down if she said anything. 'He told her that her parents would be told about how she had behaved and all the school would know that she was the one who had closed the school down. She was terrified — she felt like she was to blame, and nothing I said would calm her down.' 6 6 Jessica says that she has been made aware of other girls who were attacked by Fayed and at least one who was raped. She reported her findings to her lawyers and plans to contact the Harrods Survivors support group on their behalf. 'When I spoke to lawyers, they put me on to some lawyers working with a lot of the victims, and they were already aware of the claims. They said they had been contacted by girls at the school and by the relatives of one girl who had committed suicide. 'The family are convinced it was because of what she went through with Fayed. I know they are also investigating that he fathered a love child with an under-age girl. I don't know any more details. 'I don't work at the school any more, and I'm glad Fayed is dead.' In a statement, West Heath School said: 'We do not tolerate abuse or harassment in any form.' On May 29, 1997, Fayed stood in the middle of the pitch at his newly purchased trophy, Fulham Football Club, wrapped in the team's scarf, and announced: 'I have a football club.' Amanda (not her real name) was on the fringes of the Fulham women's team and keen to become the best player she could be. 'Women's football was growing,' she says, 'and Fayed had become a bit of a hero by setting up the first professional women's side.' Fayed invited [a schoolgirl ] to Harrods and attacked her. He didn't manage to rape her, but he tore her clothes and he hurt her. He said he'd pull money out of the school if she said anything Amanda was still at school while training at Craven Cottage. She says she told her mum that Fayed would be visiting the training ground and her mum said: 'Be nice to him — make sure you stand out from the crowd.' When Fayed walked in, Amanda says that the place went quiet and everyone stopped what they were doing. She was nervous but remembered her mum's words, so she bounded up to him, put out her hand to shake his hand, and said, 'Hello, I'm Amanda and I'm hoping to get into the first team soon.' Little did she know that this was manna from heaven for Fayed — a pretty young woman who wanted something that he could get for her. 'Ran for the door' 'He came over to me later and invited me to come to his apartment to discuss my role at Fulham and whether he could help me to make it into the first team. 'I was so excited. He told me that someone from the club would drive me in, and he'd make sure I got home safely. 'When I got to his apartment he didn't even mention football. All he wanted to know was whether I had a boyfriend, had I lost my virginity, had I ever kissed a man? 'He was sitting right next to me and had his hand on my thigh, stroking my leg as we talked. 'He said I had good legs and they'd be perfect for football. He asked me to show them to him.' He [Fayed] asked me to bend over, and he told me to take my knickers off. I realised that was all wrong and ran for the door Amanda was wearing her tracksuit and had no desire to remove the trousers. She remembers she felt awkward and confused. 'I can get you a place in the team,' Fayed told her. 'I own the club, I can do whatever I like. 'I need to see your legs to see whether they're strong enough.' Amanda took down her tracksuit trousers and says that Fayed then became like an animal, reaching out to try to touch her. 'He asked me to bend over, and he told me to take my knickers off. I realised that was all wrong and ran for the door, but my tracksuit bottoms were round my ankles and I was struggling to pull them up while running. 'I got to the door and it was locked. I banged and banged on it with all my might. I'd just about got my trousers pulled up when I heard a voice on the other side, so I screamed and kicked at the door. 'I was sure Fayed was going to come running after me but he stayed in his seat, laughing at me. The door opened and I ran out. 'I didn't stay in football long after that . . . it didn't hold anything like the same joy for me. 'I stopped going to training and slowly drifted away from the club.' 6 Amanda says of reporting the incident to the police: 'I tried, but they weren't really interested, so I left the police station.' Three of the Fulham players I have interviewed also went to the police to report Fayed, but nothing ever happened. One other story that arose after I talked to players at Fulham concerns Kevin Keegan, the former Liverpool, Hamburg and England star, who was brought in to coach the Fulham men's team. Keegan left Fulham when he became England manager in 1999, citing the difficulties of coaching club and country at the same time. Fayed said he would let Keegan go because he was a patriot. 'I've given you my Keegan,' he quipped at the time, 'Now can I have my British passport?' But there are stories that the situation was much more complicated than that. Apparently Fayed and Keegan fell out because the fax machine that Fayed had given to Keegan for home use when he started at the club had stopped working. Rather than call the club, Keegan went to a local repair centre, where a bugging device was found in the machine. Once Keegan realised that Fayed possessed the ability to listen in on everything he and others said within the safety of his home, he decided to quit. Keegan could not be reached for comment. The Monster Of Harrods: Al-Fayed And The Secret, Shameful History Of A British Institution, by Alison Kervin (Harper Collins), is on sale on Thursday. 6
The Sun
5 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
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.
