A former Harrods internal doctor who worked there during Mohammed Al-Fayed’s “predatory” reign says she refused to carry out sexual health tests on potential victims.
Al-Fayed, who died last year aged 94, has been accused of a litany of sexual crimes against dozens of women, some as young as 15, during the years he owned London’s most prestigious department store. .
More than 20 former Harrods employees accused him of sexual assault, including rape, and the Metropolitan Police has since announced it is investigating 40 new allegations, bringing the total number of women who have complained to more than 60.
The notorious germophobe is accused of ordering young female employees he found attractive to undergo “invasive” STD tests and sending him the results.
Dr. Jenny Duckham, 78, headed the occupational health department when Al-Fayed bought the store in 1985.
A former Harrods internal doctor who worked there during Mohammed Al-Fayed’s “predatory” reign (pictured) says she refused to carry out sexual health tests on potential victims.
Al-Fayed, who died last year aged 94, has been accused of a litany of sexual crimes against dozens of women, some as young as 15, during the years he owned London’s most prestigious department store. (pictured).
Three of Al-Fayed’s accusers, Katherine, Lindsay and Gemma.
she said The times that human resources team “sneaked up” and asked if he would perform “gynecological tests” on women shortly after he took over the store.
Dr. Duckham said she responded “of course not.” Because?’ and Human Resources said they told him not to worry and that they would “take care of it.”
“I heard he sent them outside the store, he would pay the doctors outside to do the tests for them,” he said.
‘I thought he was a dirty old man… I just thought the man was horrible and crazy and what are you doing, really?’ “The atmosphere was pretty fucked.”
Dr. Duckham claimed that everyone “knew it wasn’t safe” and the person who asked her to do the testing did so in a way that implied they knew it was “inappropriate.”
He said that by refusing to take the test, he believed it would “shut him down,” but now he thinks it was “extremely naive of me.” But she explained that she had “no idea” of the extent of his behavior.
He said Al-Fayed had a “little empire with locked doors on the top floor” of the building, but he still fondly remembers the store as an “Aladdin’s cave.”
After she was fired in 1991, she shredded her confidential personnel notes because she feared Al-Fayed would read them.
Dr Duckham recalled other disturbing stories about Al-Fayed telling staff to put up a “black face” and “get paid”.
Survivors have publicly named three doctors who had allegedly carried out sexual health tests on the former Harrods boss.
AlFayed stands in front of a stand at Craven Cottage, home of Fulham Football Club, 1997
Survivor Natacha reacts during a press conference about the BBC documentary
Natacha is hugged by US Attorney Gloria Allred after speaking during a press conference to discuss her involvement in the investigation.
Dr Ann Coxon, 84, who still practices in Harley Street, denied carrying out tests.
She is alleged to have carried out “invasive” and “totally unnecessary” STD checks for the disgraced billionaire’s inheritance.
The doctor, who still runs a clinic on London’s prestigious Harley Street, was named by Fayed’s victims.
But last week, when asked if she regretted working for the alleged sexual predator, she responded: “No, I don’t.”
One of Fayed’s victims, who is part of the Justice for Harrods survivors group, told the BBC that “the examinations carried out by Dr Coxon were intrusive and totally unnecessary.”
“They also led to many employees’ confidential medical information, including mine, being inappropriately shared at Harrods,” the victim added.
“This shouldn’t have happened.”
The victims’ group has reported Dr Coxon to the UK’s medical regulator, the General Medical Council.
Hired as Al-Fayed’s personal assistant, Lindsay, now 55, was told she needed to see a doctor before starting work.
The Mail on Sunday was told that Dr Thomas Bozek, 75, who also continues to practice, carried out an “invasive examination”.
Wendy Snell, another doctor named by the alleged victims, died.
Dr Duckham said: “It was horrible.” I’m sorry? Well, I’m really sad for these girls.’
He wants the GMC to investigate doctors who have allegedly carried out these tests and are still doing them, and finds it “surprising” that anyone would agree to this.
An Australian doctor who allegedly carried out the sexual health tests has denied claims he did so at his request, insisting that even if he had tested Harrods staff he would never have shared their details with the billionaire predator.
Princess Diana with Al-Fayed attending a charity dinner for the Harefield Heart Unit held at Harrods, London, February 1996
Dr Ann Coxon, 84, who still practices in Harley Street, denied carrying out tests.
Dr. Jane Reffell allegedly performed a “thorough gynecological examination” on a young lawyer who was chosen to work for Fayed in 1989 because of her good looks.
Dr. Jane Reffell allegedly performed a “thorough gynecological examination” on a young lawyer who was selected to work for Fayed in 1989 because of her good looks.
The sleazy billionaire would later make repeated sexual advances toward the then 25-year-old lawyer, forcing her to lock herself in the bathroom of his Paris suite.
Daily Mail Australia tracked Dr Reffell down to the sleepy town of Bangalow in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, about 15 minutes inland from the hippie hangout of Byron Bay, where she runs a health clinic. female since 2002.
Journalist Tom Bowers’ book alleged that Dr Reffell “understood what Fayed required”, which was for his female staff to have a certificate of good sexual health before taking advantage of them.
However, Dr. Reffell vehemently denied ever having played that role.
“I just don’t think it was me,” he told this publication.
“There are other doctors who worked very closely with Fayed, but not me.”
Asked if she had ever carried out a sexual health test on a Harrods employee, Dr Reffell said: “I did test, but it was private and confidential.”
“And I never made them for Al Fayed per se, but I might have made them for his staff if they were patients at the practice.”
Dr. Reffell said sharing confidential patient information was a “red line” she would never cross.
She said she was “horrified” by the revelations and expressed sympathy for Fayed’s victims.