Mohamed Al Fayed used 'crooked police officer' to 'harass his victim'

A recent documentary on the late billionaire saw more than 20 ex-Harrods workers accuse him of sexual abuse, including rape, described him as a 'monster' and 'predator'

Mohamed Al Fayed allegedly used a dirty cop to target a young woman who was arrested after she accused him of sexual assault.

The billionaire’s innocent employee was held in cells overnight on trumped-up theft claims only to be released the next day without charge.

She is understood to be in contact with lawyers suing Harrods in the wake of last week’s BBC2 documentary, Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods.

The woman was sacked after complaining that Al Fayed had groped and tried to kiss her. Harrods then discovered she was planning to take them to an industrial tribunal in 1994.

Refusing to back down, she was arrested following a complaint by Al Fayed’s then head of security, former Met Chief Supt John Macnamara, dubbed “Mac the Knife”.

She later settled out of court with Al Fayed, who died last year aged 94.

Following a mysterious attack on a relative and anonymous threats, the woman fled the UK. TV producer Keaton Stone, who spent six years investigating the tycoon, said: “She was extremely brave because Al Fayed did everything to try to shut her up but she would not be silenced.

“I have huge respect for her and would love to shake her hand.” Scotland Yard said in 1998 that a serving officer had been informed he was officially under investigation over the arrest of the woman.

It is not clear what the outcome of the probe was. A spokeswoman for the force declined to comment. Macnamara was allegedly at the heart of Al Fayed’s chilling campaign to silence his victims.

He joined Harrods in 1986 from the Met where he served on the Fraud Squad, and the “Line of Duty” CIB ­department. Macnamara was described by one former Harrods colleague as a “nasty piece of work”.

The ex-security guard told the BBC: “He would threaten people and use his power as an ex-copper. I know for a fact Macamara knocked on someone’s door personally and threatened a girl.”

A victim who had come forward to the press in 1995 said Macnamara, who died in 2019, paid her a visit. She said: “I’d no idea how he’d found me. [He] said I wasn’t to be involved in that article and said if I went against his advice, just be aware he knew where my parents lived. It turned me cold.”

The woman, who worked for Al Fayed in the 1980s and 1990s, said she never spoke again about the attack. Tom Bower’s 1998 book Fayed: The Unauthorised Biography revealed how Macnamara cultivated important Yard contacts for his boss, calling in favours from officers.

They were wined and dined, given hospitality and showered with gifts, he wrote. Dozens of women have come forward to say they were raped or sexually assaulted by the Egyptian businessman.

He was repeatedly reported to police but never charged. One barrister representing victims said nearly 150 people had made contact with claims.

Refusing to back down, she was arrested following a complaint by Al Fayed's then head of security, former Met Chief Supt John Macnamara, dubbed "Mac the Knife". She later settled out of court with Al Fayed, who died last year aged 94.

Following a mysterious attack on a relative and anonymous threats, the woman fled the UK. TV producer Keaton Stone, who spent six years investigating the tycoon, said: "She was extremely brave because Al Fayed did everything to try to shut her up but she would not be silenced. I have huge respect for her and would love to shake her hand."

Scotland Yard said in 1998 that a serving officer had been informed he was officially under investigation over the arrest of the woman. It is not clear what the outcome of the anti-corruption probe was.

A spokeswoman for the force this week declined to comment.

Macnamara was allegedly at the heart of Al Fayed's chilling campaign to silence his victims. He joined Harrons in 1986 from the Met where he served on the Fraud Squad and the "Line of Duty" CIB department.

Macnamara was described by one former Harrods colleague as a "nasty piece of work". The ex-security guard told the BBC documentary: "He would threaten people and things and use his power as an ex-copper. I know for a fact Macamara knocked on someone's door personally and threatened a girl."

A victim who had come forward to the press in 1995 said Macnamara, who died in 2019, paid her a visit. She said: "I had no idea how he'd found me and [he] said I wasn't to be involved in that article and said if I went against his advice that just be aware he knew where my parents lived. It turned me cold."

The woman, who worked for Al Fayed between 1986 and 1991, said she never spoke again about the attack. Tom Bower's 1998 book "Fayed: The Unauthorised Biography" revealed how Macnamara cultivated important Yard contacts for his boss, calling in favours from officers he and his security team drank with.

At higher levels, officers would be wined and dined, given hospitality and showered with gifts, including Christmas hampers, Mr Bower wrote. Dinner guests would routinely be given bottles of whisky while senior officers were given jumbo gift bags for their families.

One officer was said to be supplied with his favourite ties, courtesy of the security department. Dozens of women have come forward to say they were raped or sexually assaulted by the Egyptian businessman. He was repeatedly reported to police during his lifetime but never charged with any offence.