Metropolitan Police apologises after email leak exposing alleged Al Fayed victims
The Met admitted that a clerical mistake revealed the email addresses of about 140 women who claim they were abused by the late Mohamed Al Fayed.
Scotland Yard confirmed that an email sent to victims of alleged sexual abuse by the late Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed mistakenly displayed the recipients' addresses, affecting roughly 140 women who had opted in for updates. The message, part of Operation Cornpoppy, also disclosed that three additional suspects in their 70s and 80s had been interviewed under caution, bringing the total to seven. The Metropolitan Police has referred the incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office and pledged to strengthen safeguards and consider alternative communication methods.
Survivors such as Joanna Brittan, who previously waived lifelong anonymity, reported that her address was visible to dozens of other survivors, describing the breach as a serious violation. Advocate Dame Jasvinder Sanghera said many victims feel further betrayed by the police. The breach follows recent ICO enforcement action against the Met for unrelated data-protection failures.
Why it matters
It shows how mishandling of survivor data can erode trust in police investigations of sexual abuse.
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