Individuals who have suffered abuse at the hands of Mohamed Al Fayed are holding the medical regulatory body accountable for its alleged inaction regarding the sexual misconduct he perpetrated. They claim that the General Medical Council (GMC) failed to investigate claims that certain doctors may have been involved in facilitating his abuse.
Survivors are urging the GMC to conduct an investigation after it rejected a request in 2017 to examine the actions of a physician accused of conducting invasive sexual health examinations and subsequently sharing the findings with Fayed. Nearly ten years after initial complaints were lodged against Dr. Wendy Snell, who passed away in 2022, the GMC has finally taken steps against two other doctors who are also accused of providing Fayed with sexual health information about women he later assaulted.
Al Fayed, the previous owner of Harrods, passed away in 2023, just one year before numerous women came forward with allegations of sexual assault spanning several decades.
Pelham Spong reported her experience to the GMC in 2017, detailing how Dr. Snell, who worked for Al Fayed, performed sexual health assessments on her in 2008 during a job interview. She claims that on the same day, Fayed assaulted her by grabbing her face and kissing her forcefully. Additionally, he questioned her about a sexually transmitted infection that, according to Snell, would remain confidential, she asserted.
In her complaint, which was reviewed by the Guardian, Spong stated, “I am aware that there are other women with similar experiences involving both Fayed and doctors conducting inappropriate health screenings at Harrods. The recruiter who referred me had sent another candidate to Fayed previously.” She expressed feelings of humiliation and shame, stating, “I was embarrassed that this potential employer knew the most intimate details of my body.”
The GMC responded to Spong by asserting that it was not in the “greater public interest” to investigate Snell, adding, “We do not possess the authority to investigate or comment on the necessity of a gynecological examination as part of your recruitment process.”
At the time of her abuse, Spong was just 23 years old. She remarked to the Guardian, “It is shocking that the GMC had my information in 2017 and took no action. They have allowed my abusers to evade accountability for nearly a decade. Their lack of curiosity raises serious questions. I was reporting trafficking.”
In October 2017, Spong also relayed her experience to the Metropolitan Police, which reviewed her GMC complaint during initial inquiries but ultimately opted not to pursue the matter further. Spong said, “Fayed continued to harm women until his death. The failure of both the Met and the GMC in 2017 has led to more women suffering. They are responsible, and they must be investigated.” She supports calls for a public inquiry into Fayed’s actions, which should also address the failures of the Metropolitan Police and the GMC.
Another survivor, identified as Joan*, alleges that she was raped in the 1990s by Fayed’s brother, Salah Fayed, following a sexual health examination conducted by Dr. Ann Coxon. Joan claims that prior to the assault, Salah Fayed called Coxon while she was present and placed her on speakerphone, during which Coxon allegedly disclosed the results of her sexual health tests.
Joan stated, “I heard it firsthand, and I have documented it in an affidavit made at that time. I also possess the test results she referenced.” She added, “Had the GMC acted on the initial complaints in 2017, Fayed could have been stopped and held accountable. They should have escalated reports of malpractice to the police. Instead, after significant political pressure, the GMC is only now beginning to take action. This is fundamentally backward. What purpose does the GMC serve?”
A third victim, Judith*, reported that she was groped by Mohamed Al Fayed after undergoing a degrading sexual health examination by Dr. Snell as part of a job application process for the family. She recounted that the examination took place after Al Fayed had sold Harrods in 2010. Judith expressed, “I underwent a comprehensive gynecological exam, including tests for sexually transmitted diseases. I was deeply shocked and traumatized by the necessity of such an examination, which has led me to struggle with routine smear tests ever since. This entire experience has jeopardized my health.”
Judith emphasized, “I do not seek an apology from the GMC or a promise that it will not happen again. What is needed is clear legislation to ensure oversight of private doctors. Currently, there appears to be no regulation whatsoever. A public inquiry must be initiated promptly, and the GMC should be involved.”
Dr. Coxon declined to comment but has previously denied performing sexual health exams on Harrods employees. The GMC has placed restrictions on her practice, as well as that of another doctor, pending a thorough investigation.
Emma Jones, a solicitor representing several of Fayed’s victims, commented, “The GMC is finally beginning to take these matters seriously, as evidenced by the interim conditions imposed on these doctors—a step not typically seen in such investigations. However, this response comes far too late. When the initial complaints were made, the GMC should have referred them to the police. It is astonishing that these serious allegations, involving unauthorized sexual health examinations reported to Fayed, were not investigated sooner.”
Jones added that the GMC’s shortcomings are a critical aspect that requires investigation, asserting that a public inquiry is the appropriate means to thoroughly address these issues.
A spokesperson for the GMC stated, “The accounts of sexual abuse perpetrated by Mohamed Al Fayed are both horrendous and shocking. We are currently investigating the doctors employed by Mr. Al Fayed and have reached out to the relevant parties to provide updates on our investigations. We are taking these concerns with utmost seriousness and are maintaining communication with appropriate authorities.”
