Met Police accused of failing in legal duty to trafficking victims of former Harrods boss Al Fayed

The Metropolitan Police has faced accusations of failing in its legal obligation to refer victims of human trafficking to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), following claims that billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed, former owner of Harrods and Fulham Football Club, exploited individuals over several decades. Survivors allege that the Met did not act promptly to ensure they received the necessary support and recognition as victims of modern slavery. At least five survivors confirmed by the Home Office as victims of modern slavery have stated that the Met did not offer them a referral to the NRM when they initially came forward. The NRM is the UK's formal system for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery, including human trafficking, forced labor, and servitude. Statutory first responders such as the police are required to refer both children and consenting adults to the NRM if they have reasonable grounds to believe someone may be a victim. In cases where an adult does not consent to being referred, the police must still inform the Home Office anonymously. According to reports, four survivors, confirmed as victims of modern slavery, told the Press Association that the Met did not offer them a referral to the NRM until April 2026. Instead, they initiated their own referrals through the non-governmental organization Unseen. These survivors claim that the Met did not provide referrals to anyone who came forward regarding Al Fayed until this date. The Met maintains that there is no automatic requirement to submit a referral for offenses occurring before the NRM was implemented in April 2009 and the Modern Slavery Act 2015. However, the Home Office argues that the historical nature of the alleged exploitation should not affect the necessity of referring victims to the NRM. The legal duty to refer applies unless the offenses were reported to the police before the specified dates. Over 400 allegations of sexual misconduct have been made against Al Fayed, spanning from 1977 to 2014. These include charges of sexual assault, rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking. The Met is currently investigating at least 156 victims who contacted them directly, including 21 who came forward before Al Fayed's death in 2023 at the age of 94. Operation Cornpoppy, launched in November 2024, is examining individuals who may have facilitated or enabled Al Fayed's crimes. Seven people have been questioned under caution, including four women aged in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and 80s, and three men, one in his 60s, one in his 80s, and one whose age is unknown. In early April 2026, Rachel Louw received a conclusive grounds decision confirming her status as a victim of modern slavery after reporting abuse suffered at the hands of Al Fayed and his brother Salah. Louw credited the advocacy group No One Above, which collaborates with Unseen, for enabling her to proceed with the process. Since then, all four members of No One Above have also received positive conclusive grounds decisions after initiating their own referrals through Unseen. Margo, using a pseudonym, was a domestic worker for the Al Fayed family after the 2010 sale of Harrods. She reported her experiences to the police in 2024, but the Met did not offer her a referral to the NRM at the time. On the same day the BBC reported on Louw's conclusive grounds decision, the Met contacted Margo to inform her that they believed she met the criteria for referral to the NRM and asked for her consent to proceed. Margo was already in the process of making a referral through Unseen.