The Metropolitan Police have submitted a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as part of their ongoing investigation into allegations concerning the late Harrods owner, Mohamed Al Fayed. The file specifically pertains to a man in his 80s.
Last month, a man and a woman, both in their 80s, were interviewed under caution. The suspicions against them include aiding and abetting rape and sexual assault, and assisting in the commission of sexual offenses. The CPS will now determine if charges can be brought.
Earlier this year, four other individuals were questioned by police: three women aged in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and one man in his 60s. Mohamed Al Fayed, the former owner of Harrods, died three years ago at the age of 94 without having faced any charges in relation to these matters.
A spokesperson for the Met Police stated that "detectives submitted a full evidential file" to the CPS for a "charging decision." The file "relates to one suspect, a man in his 80s, and relates to two indecent assaults on two women in London." The police indicated that officers will continue to collaborate closely with CPS prosecutors as the case advances.
To date, a total of seven suspects have been interviewed under caution. The alleged offenses include aiding and abetting rape and sexual assault, assisting in the commission of sexual offenses, and human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation.
Jen Mills and Lindsay Mason, co-chairs of the Justice for Fayed and Harrods Survivors group, acknowledged the latest development. "The submission of a full evidential file to the CPS is a significant step, and it matters most of all for the two women whose allegations are at the centre of it," they said in a statement. "Both are members of Justice for Fayed and Harrods Survivors and, as with all those impacted by this scandal, we stand alongside them with love and empathy."