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Police Watchdog Probes 5 Met Officers Over Handling of Al Fayed Abuse Claims

The watchdog move signals scrutiny of possible missed chances in Met inquiries dating back to 2008.

Overview

  • The IOPC, which disclosed Thursday it is investigating five Met officers, says the misconduct probe began in January 2025 and covers reports from four victim-survivors.
  • The review focuses on how the force handled allegations in 2008 and 2013, after two 2008 complaints were referred to the watchdog in November 2024.
  • Detectives pursuing a separate criminal inquiry into possible facilitators interviewed a man in his 60s under caution in March and questioned three women between February 25 and March 5, and no arrests have been made.
  • Police say 154 people have reported allegations to the Met since a BBC documentary in September 2024, while wider reporting cites more than 400 claims dating back to 1977.
  • A former Harrods worker says the UK’s National Referral Mechanism recognized her in April as a modern slavery victim, and survivor groups are calling for a wider trafficking probe.