Fayed: I was victimised over false sex attack claim

HARRODS owner Mohamed Fayed launched an attack on Scotland Yard today as he was cleared of claims he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl.

The billionaire said he had been "victimised" in the course of a nine-month investigation by specialist sex crimes detectives.

The 76-year-old said it was wrong he had been named before any proceedings had been brought. Mr Fayed was interviewed by police about the alleged assault at his Knightsbridge store but never charged.

Today the Crown Prosecution Service, which has been assessing a file on the case submitted by Met detectives, said there was no prospect of securing a conviction and that no charges would be brought. Mr Fayed immediately spoke of his anger. "The investigation has reached an obvious and proper conclusion," he said.

"But I have to ask why it took so long and why it was handled in such a way as to cause me and my businesses the maximum degree of damage.

"This should never be permitted in a democratic society. The leaks, the false stories, the innuendo all make a bad situation worse.

"I am shocked the system can be manipulated in such a way. It cannot be right an accused person is publicly named before proceedings are brought.

"Now I know how distressing it is to be victimised in this way I intend to fight to ensure others on the receiving end of false allegations are properly protected."

His spokeswoman added: "The first Mr al Fayed knew of any allegation, let alone a complaint to the police, was when a story appeared on the front page of a newspaper. That story was almost certainly deliberately leaked to the press.

"At the precise time of the alleged offence, which Mr al Fayed learned was supposed to have taken place at Harrods, he was at Fulham Football Club, in full view of television cameras, enjoying a match.

"Mr al Fayed has been shocked by the way this has been handled by the police. He believes it cannot be right that an accused person is publicly named before proceedings are brought."

Rene Barclay, the CPS's director of complex casework for London, said in a statement: "During the course of a thorough investigation, extensive enquiries were made and statements were taken from a number of people.

"Having reviewed those statements and other material submitted to us we concluded that, in the light of the conflicting evidence and the absence of sufficiently reliable accounts of crucial events, there was no realistic prospect of conviction."

Police questioned Mr Fayed, who has always strongly denied the allegation, in October.