Met Police apologises after the email addresses of Mohamed Al Fayed’s victims were shared in data breach

The Metropolitan Police has apologised after accidentally exposing the email addresses of around 140 women who accused the late Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed of sexual abuse. The breach occurred when a monthly update sent to victims on 11 August was not blind copied, meaning recipients' email addresses became visible to everyone else on the distribution list. The force has referred itself to the Information Commissioner's Office and said it is reviewing its processes to prevent a repeat.

A Met spokesman said the error was identified quickly, those affected were contacted directly the same day, and the matter is being treated as a priority. This is not the first such lapse: earlier this year sensitive documents belonging to alleged victim Joanna Brittan, including her address and date of birth, were mistakenly sent to another accuser in Australia. Al Fayed, who died in August 2023 aged 94, has been accused of abusing around 400 women and girls, and the Met's investigation into associates now involves seven suspects following further interviews under caution.