Met Police send file on man in his 80s to CPS over assaults

The Metropolitan Police has submitted a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) concerning a man in his 80s, seeking a charging decision. The file relates to two alleged indecent assaults against two women in London. This development is part of Operation Cornpoppy, an investigation into alleged offending linked to the late Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed.

Broader investigation urged by survivors

Survivor advocacy group No One Above has stated that the submission of the file is "a start" but has called on the Metropolitan Police to expand its inquiry. The group wants the investigation to examine the recruitment, movement, and financing of an alleged trafficking network, rather than focusing solely on individual perpetrators. The group stated that the case "was not one bad man, and not corporate abuse. It was a trafficking network of multiple perpetrators, backed by an international criminal organisation."

To date, seven suspects have been interviewed under caution. These include four women aged in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and 80s, and three men aged in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. The offences they are being investigated for include aiding and abetting rape and sexual assault, assisting in the commission of sexual offences, and human trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Scale of allegations

Over 400 allegations of sexual misconduct have been made against Mohamed Al Fayed and linked perpetrators between 1977 and 2014. These allegations encompass sexual assault, rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking. The Metropolitan Police is currently dealing with at least 156 victims who have contacted them directly. Of these, 21 survivors came forward before Al Fayed's death in 2023 at the age of 94.

Co-chairs of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Survivors of Mohamed Fayed and Harrods, Dave Robertson MP and Wendy Chamberlain MP, described the file submission as a "huge moment" for survivors awaiting justice. They confirmed they had recently met with the Metropolitan Police, who assured them that progress on the investigation was accelerating.

What happens next

The Metropolitan Police stated that officers will continue to work closely with CPS prosecutors as the case progresses. The force indicated its focus remains on pursuing all available lines of enquiry, maintaining the investigation's integrity, and supporting those who have come forward. The group No One Above emphasised the urgency of securing financial and documentary evidence related to the network's operations before it is lost.