Former Detective Claims Relationship Between Mohamed al Fayed and Police Felt Corrupt

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A former chief superintendent of the Metropolitan Police has spoken out about the unsettlingly close relationship between Mohamed al Fayed’s Harrods and the police force, describing it as feeling "like a corrupt relationship." Stephen Otter, who held a senior role within the force, made these comments in an interview with Sky News, painting a troubling picture of the interactions between law enforcement and the luxury department store.

 

 

According to Otter, the Met Police had a "special relationship" with Harrods, one that he was introduced to upon taking up his post in 1999 as borough commander for Kensington and Chelsea. He revealed that the arrangement involved the police providing "additional resources at Christmas," with the officers receiving lavish hampers and enjoying drinks at Christmas parties, all funded by Fayed’s iconic store. Otter recalled being told by another officer that this relationship was mutually beneficial: "which benefits both us and them."

 

Watch: Lawyers representing the alleged victims of Mohamed Al Fayed have said in a new statement that they now represent 60 survivors.

BREAKING: Lawyers representing the alleged victims of Mohamed Al Fayed have said in a new statement that they now represent 60 survivors

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This revelation comes in the wake of serious allegations against Fayed, with five women accusing him of rape, and more than 100 others coming forward to allege sexual assault or provide evidence to lawyers. Police are now urging any potential victims to come forward as part of an investigation into these claims.

 

Reflecting on his early days in the borough, Otter described being issued with a police car that had been paid for by Harrods. The car, emblazoned with the Harrods logo, looked "more like a Harrods vehicle than a police vehicle." When he attempted to return the car to Harrods, he was met with resistance from a security boss who insisted the arrangement had been in place for years and that other senior officers had benefited from the perks, including Christmas hampers. Otter was told that once he had been around longer, he would "have a better understanding of this relationship."

 

This relationship extended beyond cars and hampers. Otter mentioned how Harrods had its own detention center, which was "better than any detention center" he had seen within the entire Metropolitan Police. As he conducted a review of police operations, Otter concluded that Harrods was receiving a disproportionate level of support. He said, "Our policing of Harrods was like policing a Premiership match, and the risk just literally didn’t support the resources and the attention they got."

 

Complaints from Harrods’ security boss further highlighted the cozy dynamic. Otter was informed that officers regularly visited the store "asking for freebies." When asked if he believed Met officers were corrupt, Otter responded, "I think they probably were," suggesting that the culture had made such behavior normalized. "It felt like a corrupt relationship on both sides," he admitted, emphasizing that Harrods held significant power over the police, with the store having "huge amounts of power over the leaders of the areas of policing around them."

 

One of the more troubling aspects Otter discussed was how this close relationship may have negatively impacted police investigations into Fayed. He alleged that Harrods' security boss had access to sensitive information from the Met due to these ties. He described this as an "insidious infiltration" that not only benefited both parties but also potentially masked and created opportunities for Fayed’s alleged sexual misconduct.

 

"Having a relationship with the police at a high level is so powerful," Otter remarked, underscoring how such influence could have compromised the integrity of investigations. He expressed concerns about the ease with which such relationships could enable individuals to "ring up people and say ‘can you just do a check on this person?’" Such access, he argued, "endangers the legitimacy that the British police service has."

 

Based on a report from: Sky News 2024-09-28

 

 

 

[jippytum]

Another case of a rich and famous sexual preditor  committing well documented offences    over many years  only to be exposed by the UK media  long after they died.