Harrods nears six-figure settlements with alleged al Fayed abuse victims

Harrods is proposing six-figure pay outs to settle claims brought forward by alleged sexual abuse victims of the retailer’s former owner Mohamed al Fayed.

More than 250 claims for compensation were made against al Fayed last October by women who allege sexual misconduct including rape and attempted rape during his time owning the iconic London department store.

Lawyers at MPL Legal have informed potential claimants that they could be eligible for general damages of up to £110,000 or £200,000, Sky News reported.

The pay outs depend upon the claimants’ willingness to submit to a psychiatric assessment arranged by Harrods.

According to documents seen by the publication, victims of al Fayed who decide to take a “non-medical pathway” would be eligible for “general damages limited to compensation for sexual assault of up to £110,000”, with “aggravated damages [of] up to £15,000″, and “wrongful testing fixed payment(s) up to £7,500”.

Claimants who agree to be reviewed by a scheme consultant psychiatrist would be eligible for general damages of up to £200,000, alongside further pay outs equal to those potentially awarded to non-medical claimants, treatment costs “past and future supported by the medical report” and a “work impact payment capped at £110,000”.

The “wrongful testing” payments refer to those who were forced to undergo unnecessary and intrusive medical examinations demanded by the former Harrods owner.

The terms of the document suggest that some of the victims of al Fayed’s abuse could receive payments of more than £300,000.

A Harrods spokesperson told Sky News: “It would be premature for us to comment on the nature and details of a scheme that is currently under consultation.

“We are actively inviting the valuable input from Survivors and their legal representatives to establish the final scheme that aims to be survivor-first, trauma-informed, and fair in its approach to compensation.

“Further updates will be provided once the consultation period is complete.”

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