The Metropolitan Police has inadvertently disclosed the email addresses of people who alleged they were sexually abused by Mohamed Al Fayed.
An investigation has been ongoing into the late owner of Harrods after more than 400 claims of sexual misconduct were made against him, including rape and human trafficking, dating between 1977 and 2014.
The force told The Independent that the email addresses of 143 alleged victims were revealed and that recipients’ contact information was visible to others on a distribution list.
According to The Times, the incident took place on Tuesday as officers issued a monthly update to victims regarding the progress of the investigation into Al Fayed.
The update confirmed a further three suspects, one aged in their seventies and two in their eighties, had been interviewed under caution.
The breach affected all victims who opted in to receive updates from the investigation team, but recipients were split into smaller groups which meant the addresses were only visible to those in the same group, it is understood.
The force issued an apology for the incident and confirmed those affected were contacted on the day it took place. The Information Commissioner’s Office was notified and the impact of the breach will be monitored.
A Met Police spokesperson said: “On Tuesday, 11 August, officers issued a monthly update to victims regarding progress in our investigation into those who may have facilitated Mohamed Al Fayed’s offending.
“The update was to confirm a further three suspects, one aged in their seventies and two in their eighties, have recently been interviewed under caution, bringing the total number interviewed under caution as part of the investigation to seven. Enquiries remain ongoing.
“Due to human error, recipients’ email addresses were visible to others on the distribution list. The issue was identified quickly and immediate action was taken.
“We understand the impact this may have on victims and sincerely apologise. Everyone affected was contacted directly on the day of the incident.
“The incident is being investigated as a matter of priority, and we are reviewing our processes to help prevent a similar breach from happening again.”
The incident comes after three victims complained about the Met to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in June, on top of investigations into one serving and four former Met officers for potential misconduct relating to the case.
The ongoing probe, led by the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards under the watchdog’s direction and control, involved other reports made by four victims.
An IOPC spokesperson said on 27 June: “We can confirm that we received complaints this week from three victim-survivors, which relate to the Met’s handling of allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed and his associates that were reported to the force between 2018 and 2024.
“We are currently assessing these complaints before deciding what further action we will be taking.”
