A woman has told BBC Scotland she was trafficked to the Scottish Highlands, drugged, sexually assaulted and held prisoner by Salah Fayed, the brother of former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed. Jill, whose name has been changed for legal reasons, said she was a young Harrods employee recruited in the 1990s to what she believed was an executive training scheme before being flown on the Fayed family’s private jet to Balnagown, their estate in Easter Ross, where she was repeatedly assaulted.
Jill described Salah Fayed as “a very cruel man” who exploited her vulnerabilities and exercised near-total control over her life. She alleged he gave her illegal substances, locked her in a room, and forced her to take drugs.
“The first time he forced me to take the drugs he tried to trick me into taking them,” she said. “He had me locked in a room. He said ‘you need to take this, it’s good for you’. He lied about what it was and when I refused he screamed at me and forced me to take it.”
She said the drugs were part of his method of assaulting her, and that he controlled what she ate, wore and who she spoke to.
Salah Fayed, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2010, was one of three Fayed brothers who purchased Harrods in 1985. Since Mohamed Al Fayed’s death in 2023, hundreds of women and girls have alleged they were sexually abused by him, and his brother Salah has also faced accusations from numerous women.
Police Scotland said three people had been identified in connection with offending against a number of victims at Balnagown, and inquiries remained ongoing.
“Our inquiries are ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment further,” a police spokesperson said.
The Metropolitan Police is separately investigating allegations linked to Mohamed Al Fayed. In a statement, the Met said seven suspects had been interviewed under caution on suspicion of offences including aiding and abetting rape and sexual assault, assisting the commission of sexual offences, and human trafficking for sexual exploitation. To date, 168 victims have come forward.
A confidential note shared with survivors from a meeting between the Met and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Survivors of Fayed and Harrods indicated about 70 people had been referred to the Home Office as potential victims of trafficking.
Jill said she was aware of other women who alleged they were abused by Salah Fayed in Scotland, though some have never publicly reported their experiences. She agreed with calls from some victims for a statutory public inquiry and said she was speaking out because she worried police investigations were not looking far enough.
Jill has contacted the Metropolitan Police and is pursuing legal action.
Harrods, which is no longer owned by the Fayed family, said it recognised the “remarkable bravery” of survivors who had come forward and supported them in their pursuit of justice. The retailer has previously established a redress scheme for survivors of abuse linked to Mohamed Al Fayed.
Jill said any compensation would be a partial refund for the impact on her life.
“You’ve lost years of your life,” she said. “You’ve had all these treatment costs, it’s impacted your career, impacted your family, so yes they do need to put that right.”
“The girl I was when I was sent to that man is gone,” Jill said. “I don’t know who she would have been or what her life would have been like. My life’s work has been recovering from this. It has been a bitter, bitter, decades-long struggle.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case extends the Fayed abuse scandal beyond Mohamed Al Fayed to his brother, highlighting allegations of exploitation at the Balnagown Estate in Scotland.
- Police Scotland and the Metropolitan Police are conducting parallel investigations, with dozens of victims identified and multiple suspects interviewed.
- Survivors are calling for a statutory public inquiry, raising questions about the adequacy of current investigations and institutional accountability.
Background
The Fayed brothers purchased Harrods in 1985. After Mohamed Al Fayed's death in 2023, more than 400 alleged victims or witnesses have come forward to lawyers over allegations dating between 1977 and 2014. Salah Fayed died of pancreatic cancer in 2010. The BBC documentary "Predator at Harrods" aired in 2024. Police Scotland announced further investigations into Balnagown Estate allegations earlier this year.
Key Perspectives
Jill (the woman speaking out): describes Salah Fayed as a “very cruel man” who drugged, isolated and assaulted her, and says she worries police investigations are not looking far enough.
Police Scotland: says three people have been identified in connection with offending against a number of victims at Balnagown and inquiries remain ongoing.
Metropolitan Police: says seven suspects have been interviewed under caution on suspicion of aiding and abetting rape and sexual assault, assisting sexual offences, and human trafficking for sexual exploitation.
Harrods: says it recognises the “remarkable bravery” of survivors and supports them in their pursuit of justice.
What to Watch
- Whether Police Scotland or the Metropolitan Police file charges or name additional suspects.
- Whether the Scottish or UK government responds to calls for a statutory public inquiry.
- The outcome of Jill's legal action and any compensation from Harrods' redress scheme.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline says a woman alleges Salah Fayed drugged and sexually assaulted her at a Highland estate.BBC News: “A woman has told BBC Scotland how she was trafficked to the Highlands, drugged, sexually assaulted and held prisoner by Salah Fayed”
- SupportedJill says she was recruited in the 1990s to what she believed was an executive training scheme.BBC News: “Jill, whose name has been changed for legal reasons, said she was a young Harrods employee when she was recruited to what she believed was an executive training scheme in the 1990s.”
- SupportedJill says she was flown on the Fayed family’s private jet to Balnagown in Easter Ross and repeatedly assaulted there.BBC News: “Jill said she was flown on the Fayed family's private jet to Balnagown, their estate in Easter Ross, where she was repeatedly assaulted.”
- SupportedJill said: “The first time he forced me to take the drugs he tried to trick me into taking them.”BBC News: ““The first time he forced me to take the drugs he tried to trick me into taking them,” she said.”
- SupportedJill described Salah Fayed as “a very cruel man” who exploited her vulnerabilities and exercised near-total control over her life.BBC News: “Jill described Salah Fayed as "a very cruel man" who exploited her vulnerabilities and exercised near-total control over her life.”
- Not in the sourcesThe summary describes Jill as a former Harrods employee.BBC News: “Jill, whose name has been changed for legal reasons, said she was a young Harrods employee when she was recruited”
- SupportedSalah Fayed died of pancreatic cancer in 2010.BBC News: “His brother Salah, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2010, has also been accused of abuse by numerous women.”
- SupportedPolice Scotland said three people had been identified in connection with offending against a number of victims at Balnagown.BBC News: “Police Scotland said three people had been identified in connection with offending against a number of victims at Balnagown”
- SupportedThe Met said seven suspects had been interviewed under caution on suspicion of listed offences.BBC News: ““Seven suspects have so far been interviewed under caution on suspicion of offences including aiding and abetting rape and sexual assault, assisting the commission of sexual offences, and human trafficking for sexual exploitation,” a Met Police statement said.”
- SupportedThe Met said 168 victims had come forward to date.BBC News: ““To date, 168 victims have now come forward.””
- SupportedA confidential note said about 70 people had been referred to the Home Office as potential trafficking victims.BBC News: “In a confidential note, shared with survivors, of a meeting between the Met and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Survivors of Fayed and Harrods, it said about 70 people had been referred to the Home Office as potential victims of trafficking.”