The Metropolitan Police allegedly neglected to challenge Mohamed Al Fayed's assertion of being too unwell to address a sexual assault claim, as per an official complaint. In 2017, Pelham Spong, an American woman, reported that the tycoon had assaulted her a decade earlier. The investigation was closed with police citing the suspect's poor health as the reason for not obtaining his account.
In the complaint to the UK's police watchdog, Ms. Spong's lawyers argued that the police should have scrutinized the medical evidence more thoroughly. The Metropolitan Police stated that their review related to Mohamed Al Fayed was ongoing and pledged to disclose their findings promptly.
Ms. Spong expressed frustration, stating, "This has gone on too long. Too many survivors were victims of Fayed and they reported to police. They got zero protection. That's appalling and it has to stop."
Ms. Spong detailed an incident where Al Fayed allegedly made unwanted advances during a job interview. Despite reporting the incident to friends and a recruitment consultant, she refrained from officially reporting due to fear of Al Fayed's influence. Finally, after nine years, Ms. Spong stepped forward, triggering a Metropolitan Police investigation.
Ms. Spong's complaint to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) criticized the premature closure of the investigation, suggesting that the police should have delved deeper into the provided medical evidence. The complaint also highlighted the police's failure to gather pertinent evidence and statements from key individuals.
Ms. Spong's legal representatives contended that the police approached the wrong company for her job application records and accused the police of systemic inaction. They hope that the IOPC complaint will initiate a broader legal campaign by US victims regarding the Al Fayed abuse scandal.