Met to investigate handling of Al Fayed complaints

Two complaints against the Metropolitan Police implicit its handling of allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed are to beryllium investigated by the unit nether the absorption of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The Met is presently reviewing a full of 21 allegations made earlier the erstwhile Harrods brag died successful 2023. It referred 2 of these to the IOPC successful November.

On Wednesday, the constabulary watchdog said that the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards volition proceed to analyse those 2 complaints, but volition bash truthful nether the IOPC's direction.

Claims of intersexual offences by Al Fayed arose successful a BBC documentary, aft his death, which revealed the grade of his predatory behaviour.

Previously, the Met said it recovered reports from 21 women who accused Al Fayed betwixt 2005 and his decease successful 2023, anterior to the BBC broadcast.

Dozens much person since contacted the unit pursuing the documentary, with allegations stretching arsenic acold backmost arsenic 1977. A wider probe by the Met into the claims against Al Fayed is ongoing.

In November, the Met referred itself to the IOPC implicit its archetypal effect to 2 cases it investigated successful 2008 and 2013.

IOPC manager of operations Steve Noonan said: "There is wide nationalist interest astir this case, with a important fig of allegations reported implicit galore years portion Mr Al Fayed was inactive alive.

"It's important that an probe is carried retired into these complaints to place if determination were immoderate missed opportunities oregon failures by officers to decently analyse these reports."