Barristers representing the alleged victims of Mohamed Al Fayed have said the case “combines some of the most horrific elements of the cases involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein”.
The late Harrods owner was described as a “monster” during a press conference held by the legal team featured in the BBC documentary Al-Fayed: Predator At Harrods.
More than 20 female former employees have spoken to the broadcaster as part of a special investigation, coming forward to make allegations of assault and physical violence, said to have taken place at properties in London and Paris.
Five women alleged they had been raped by Fayed, who died last year aged 94.
Speaking at a press conference in London on Friday, the barrister Dean Armstrong KC said he had “never seen a case as horrific as this”.
“This case combines some of the most horrific elements of the cases involving Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein,” he said. “Savile because in this case, as in that, the institution, we say, knew about the behaviour. Epstein because in that case, as in this, there was a procurement system in place to source the women and girls – as you know there are some very young victims.
“And Weinstein, because it was a person at the very top of the organisation who was abusing his power. We will say plainly, Mohammed Al Fayed was a monster.”
Another barrister, Bruce Drummond, told the press conference Harrods “must accept responsibility for the damage these women have suffered”.
He said: “This is one of the worst cases of corporate sexual exploitation that certainly I, and perhaps the world has ever seen. It was absolutely horrific and I can’t stress that word enough.”