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Watchdog to review police handling of abuse claims


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The police watchdog will review how Metropolitan Police officers handled allegations of sexual misconduct against former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) will review two cases the Met Police investigated in 2008 and 2013 after the force referred itself.

Hundreds of women have alleged the billionaire, who died last year aged 94, raped or sexually assaulted them.

Police are looking into some claims and Harrods is also settling hundreds of claims.

In a documentary which aired in September, the BBC revealed Al Fayed was accused by 21 women of sexual offences while he was alive.

Since the documentary aired, more than 400 alleged victims have come forward with allegations of assault, harassment and rape over a period of more than 30 years when they were his employees.

However, questions have been raised around the Met’s investigations.

Of the 21 women who made allegations before September this year, the Met did not pass full files of evidence to prosecutors on 19 of the women who approached them.

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