Hello, im annita mcveigh, welcome to Bbc News now, three hours of fast moving news, interviews and reaction. Within the past few hours, lawyers representing women who say they were raped or sexually assaulted by the former owner of harrods have described Mohamed Al fayed as a monster. Theyve also urged anyone else with similar claims to come forward. At least 37 women have accused the late billionaire of assaulting them. The case follows a Bbc Investigation in which woman who worked for him came forward accusing the egyptian billionaire, who died last year, of multiple counts of rape and attempted rape, during his 25 Year Reign at harrods. One of the barristers taking part in the News Conference BarriserMaria Mulla explained that when selected for their role, women would be sent for � a private medical examination� undertaken by � three or four doctors� whuich included a � full cervical smear�. Ms mulla gave further detail, revealing that one woman who made a complaint to harrods was told by the then head of Securityjohn Macnamara that someone � could jump out of bushes� or she � could have a sudden accident�. Let� s take a listen to some of what dean armstrong, who is a barrister, said at that Press Conference. We will see it plainly, Mohamed Al fayed was a monster. We will see it plainly, Mohamed Al fayed was a monster. He we will see it plainly, Mohamed Al fayed was a monster. He was a monster. Al fayed was a monster. He was a monster a monster. But, as a monster aided by a monster. But, as a monster aided by a a monster. But, as a monster aided by a system, a monster. But, as a monster aided by a system, a a monster. But, as a monster aided by a system, a system | aided by a system, a system that pervaded harrods. Those who have seen the documentary Last Night will know and will remember very clearly the words of their manager, she said the following. Anyone who tells you they didn� t know what was going on is lying. And then stressed that word of his line. Now, that word of his line. Now, that word of his, lying. We welcome, very much as a first step, the admission at The End of the programme Last Night, given by harrods, that they had, failed these women. However, they also claim, or that piece claimed, that they didn� t know about Al Fayed� S Behaviour until 2023. We will say it plainly, that are simply not true. The bbc documentary, as well as all of the other material that you will be aware of, and we certainly are aware of, and we certainly are aware of, makes that clear. This was systematic abuse. One of the lawyers working with the women Gloria Allred also spoke at that Press Conference. She said it included the unauthorised disclosure to Mohamed Al fayed of the examinations of the employees targeted for Sexual Abuse. Iam familiarwith i am familiar with how powerful men use their position of Wealth And Fame to sue to subject women and girls to Sexual Abuse. The allegations against Mohamed Al fayed include serial rape, attempted rape, Sexual Battery and Sexual Abuse of minors. Abuse of minors. They involve doctors administering abuse of minors. They involve | doctors administering invasive gynaecological exams, as a condition of employment for some of the employees, who were targeted by Mohamed Al fayed, for Sexual Abuse by him. The allegations also include the unauthorised disclosure to Mohamed Al fayed all the examination results all employees he for Sexual Abuse. He targeted for Sexual Abuse. The allegations include Cover Ups threats, and a quarter of a century of Sexual Abuse by Mohamed Al fayed, after he purchased harrods and became its chairman. Natacha told the Press Conference that she joined harrods when she was 19 years old but only now feels she has the freedom to speak up. I believed i had been given the chance i believed i had been given the chance of i believed i had been given the chance of a lifetime, an exciting chance of a lifetime, an exciting job in an incredibly dynamic exciting job in an incredibly dynamic environment with endless dynamic environment with endless opportunities to look forward endless opportunities to look forward to. I could not believe how forward to. I could not believe how lucky forward to. I could not believe how lucky i was. Imagine the possibilities, this is my passport to a shining, high powered career. Mohammed was clever high powered career. Mohammed was clever and highly manipulative, behaving like a fire figure, often saying, Call Me papa fire figure, often saying, Call Me papa. He would ask kind and seemingly me papa. He would ask kind and seemingly caring questions, he offered seemingly caring questions, he offered extra money for gifts to take offered extra money for gifts to take home to my parents or to take home to my parents or to buy to take home to my parents or to buy new to take home to my parents or to buy new work clothes. It all seemed to buy new work clothes. It all seemed entirely innocent and normal seemed entirely innocent and normal then, a perk of working for such normal then, a Perk Of Working For Such A Normal then, a perk of working for such a powerful man but unbeknownst to me i had walked into a unbeknownst to me i had walked into a Lions Den and there are coverups, into a Lions Den and there are Cover Ups, deceit, lies, manipulation, humiliation and a gross manipulation, humiliation and a gross sexual misconduct. I was subjected gross sexual misconduct. I was subjected to an intrusive and unnecessary medical examination and never unnecessary medical examination and never given the results. I was and never given the results. I was subjected to Std Testing without was subjected to Std Testing without consent and i believe in is without consent and i believe in is hindsight that i was checked for my purity. For more on this, let� s speak to our News CorrespondentAzadeh Moshiri. There is a lot to go through here. Just for the viewers first of all, take us through the main points of that news conference. The main points of that news conference. ~. , , conference. What the lawyer set out here was conference. What the lawyer set out here was the conference. What the lawyer set out here was the claim conference. What the lawyer set out here was the claim against l out here was the claim against harrods that they had prepared, accusing them of having failed to provide a safe system of work, and they also accuse them of an abject failure of corporate responsibility. Of course, i need to read at the bbc has gathered evidence that harrods at the time not only failed to intervene when these allegations took place but also help to cover up the abuse allegation. Now, have a statement from harrods who say that they are out appalled by what they have heard, that they apologised to the victims, that the harrods of the day is very different to the organisation before, and that they have also set up a legal process, in order to settle any claims, as quickly as possible, in order to avoid lengthy legal proceedings for the victims. Now, we also know that according to the kings council, dean armstrong, who spoke earlier today, dean armstrong, who spoke earliertoday, he dean armstrong, who spoke earlier today, he said that the harrods current owners said they didn� t know about these claims until 2023. He said he does not believe that to be true. The lawyers have also revealed that they now represent more than 37 women. They say that many women came forward as a result of the Bbc Investigation, and of course, many more women came forward to tell the bbc of abuse that they suffered overnight, and so this is a story that is very much developing. We also have seen, through the Bbc Investigation, that the testimonies from these former employees reveal a pattern of predatory behaviour and Sexual Abuse by Mohamed Al fayed. We played some of what we heard from natacha, and what they have talked about is the power dynamic. This was a man who presented himself as a fatherly figure to them. They said that they told them to call him Papa And Natacha said that despite all of her excitement and hopes for working out what is somewhat of a british institution, harrods, she, unbeknownst to her, was entering a lion� s then. She, unbeknownst to her, was entering a lions then. Den. Interesting entering a lions then. Den. Interesting to entering a lions then. Den. Interesting to hear entering a lions then. Den. Interesting to hear about entering a lions then. Den. | interesting to hear about those effectively warnings or intimidation for women who make complaints. Intimidation for women who make complaints complaints. Yes, i think that is one of complaints. Yes, i think that is one of the complaints. Yes, i think that is one of the most complaints. Yes, i think that is one of the most difficult. Is one of the most difficult things to hear from the lawyers and victims. They said that they have been trying to speak out for years. There was an article in Vanity Fair that outlined the Toxic Workplace these women were talking about. It did not go as far as accusing Mohamed Al fayed of rape at the time. There were several News Reports that some of which had been quashed by Mohamed Al fayed, but again, this is a man with a storied career, a self made billionaire who is a child, was selling fizzy drinks in each bit. His portrayal was largely positive in the tv series, The Crown, and this is why many women felt it was important for them to speak up for the first time because that portrayal upset them, that is not how they wanted Mohamed Al fayed to be remembered, and, with his death at 94 years old, that fear that they felt, some of it has gone away. They are not silent any more. , ~ away. They are not silent any more. ~ i. Away. They are not silent any more. , ~ , y away. They are not silent any more. ~ i. ,. Away. They are not silent any more. , ~ y. , more. Thank you very much for that, azadeh more. Thank you very much for that, Azadeh Moshiri. More. Thank you very much for that, Azadeh Moshiri. To more. Thank you very much for that, Azadeh Moshiri. To give l that, Azadeh Moshiri. To give you more in the statement from the current owner of harrods, we are utterly appalled by the allegations of abuse perpetrated by Mohamed Al fayed. The statement goes on, these are the actions of an individual intent on abusing his power over other he operated and we condemn them in the strongest terms. We also acknowledge during this time, as a business, we failed our employees who were his victims and for this, we sincerely apologise. As Azadeh Moshiri pointed out, the statement says the harrods of today is a very different organisation to the one owned and controlled by Mohamed Al fayed between 1985 and 2010. They say that it is one that currently seeks to put the welfare of employees at the heart of everything they do, this is why they say, since the information came to light about historic allegations of Sexual Abuse by Mohamed Al fayed, it has been their priority to sex to settle claims in the quickest way involving avoiding lengthy legal proceedings whether women involved, and this is still available for any current or former harrods employees. As you heard, more women are coming forward to the bbc after the Bbc Investigation and the statement from the current owners of harrods concludes, whilst we cannot undo the past, we have been determined to do the right thing as an organisation, driven by the values we hold today, whilst ensuring that such behaviour can never be repeated in the future. Let� s speak to Paul Connew , former Deputy Editor of the newspaper the News Of The World during the late 19805 to early � 90s. Thank you very much forjoining us today. One of the stories that you were investigating, i understand, in the late 1980s, was concerning allegations about Mohamed Al fayed. Tell us more about that time. You make i was involved in the bbc documentary, as you know. Read about 19871 think it was, from memory, we were alerted to rather interesting circumstances. ,. , circumstances. And actress at the time. Circumstances. And actress at the time, had circumstances. And actress at the time, had done circumstances. And actress at the time, had done some the time, had done some promotional work at harrods, and she was sued by Mohamed Al fayed. She was too high and famous for her to a sort but he bombarded her with Phone Calls and invitations and presence which she ignored, but she had picked up the vibes from being at harrods in the course of this promotional work, that female members of staff there were scared of Al Fayed, she picked this up, she did not want to get involved but she told one of myjournalist about there so we began investigating, and we found about three harrods employees, who were too scared to even talk to us, but one who did tell us all about it, but strictly off the record, and i� m willing to in any way go into print, because, as she put it, the women in their were terrified unwilling. And particularly the name of the then head of security now dead, john mcnamara, a former senior Scotland Yard officer. 50. Scotland yard officer. So, because Scotland Yard officer. So, because these Scotland Yard officer. So, because these women Scotland Yard officer. So, because these women were too afraid to continue, the investigations that you are undertaking about the allegations did not reach any conclusions then. Allegations did not reach any conclusions then. Indeed. I met on a Number Conclusions then. Indeed. I met on a number of conclusions then. Indeed. I met on a number of occasions on a number of occasions Mohamed Al fayed, not a man that you would ever trust, who would set the short hairs on your neck on end. But, he was an intimidating figure in himself, but the Security Machine around him, headed up byjohn mcnamara, was chilling. And women would be afraid to actually speak out publicly. It is interesting, given the questions about how the police handled this at the time and The Crown prosecution service, it is interesting to look at the role of the media to investigate claims of this nature. It investigate claims of this nature. ,. ,. , nature. It is. I was the editor who was nature. It is. I was the editor who was legally nature. It is. I was the editor who was legally thwarted nature. It is. I was the editor who was legally thwarted in l who was legally thwarted in 1994 of exposing Jimmy Savile but it is an example, different circumstances, of the powerplay of rich, famous and ruthless ones, who intimidate their victims. And much of the Press Conference this morning, it did strike me with regard to Al Fayed and even going back to Jimmy Savile, that if the Metoo Movement had emerged at that stage, perhaps they wouldn� t have got away with it, but women were intimidated and frightened. But women were intimidated and frithtened. , frightened. Sorry, i beg your ardon, frightened. Sorry, i beg your pardon. I frightened. Sorry, i beg your pardon, Ithought frightened. Sorry, i beg your pardon, i thought you frightened. S