Mohamed Al Fayed: Crown Prosecution Service twice decided not to prosecute after police submitted evidence

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The Crown Prosecution Service twice decided not to prosecute Mohamed Al Fayed after reviewing files of evidence presented by the police on the former Harrods owner.

Evidence was shown to the CPS in 2009 and 2015, but it decided not to go ahead with the prosecution because there was not “a realistic prospect of conviction”.Five women have alleged they were raped by Mr Al Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, with a number of others alleging sexual misconduct.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was head of the CPS as director of public prosecutions from 2008 to 2013, but a Downing Street spokesperson said he did not handle Mr Al Fayed’s case, adding it “did not cross his desk”.Sir Max Hill KC, director of public prosecutions from 2018 to 2023, said there was not “sufficient evidence” to prosecute Mr Al Fayed in 2009 and 2015, adding the case did not come to his attention during his time as head of the CPS.A CPS spokesperson said: “We reviewed files of evidence presented by the police in 2009 and 2015.

To bring a prosecution the CPS must be confident there is a realistic prospect of conviction – in each instance our prosecutors looked carefully at the evidence and concluded this wasn’t the case.”In 2018, 2021 and 2023, the CPS provided early investigative advice to the Metropolitan Police following allegations made against Mr Al Fayed.