Bianca Gascoigne, a British model and daughter of football legend Paul Gascoigne, has made serious allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed, claiming she was groomed and sexually assaulted during her teenage years at Harrods. In an emotional interview on The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee, the 37-year-old spoke publicly for the first time about her traumatic experiences.

Gascoigne described her early interactions with Al Fayed as “charming” during childhood visits to Harrods with her parents. He would often give her gifts, creating a false sense of security. By the time she began working at the luxury department store at the age of 16, she felt at ease around him, unaware of the danger she was in.

Once employed, Gascoigne alleged that Al Fayed began to grope her and forced her to kiss him during their weekly meetings. She recalled feeling trapped and scared, particularly during one disturbing incident when he invited her to the Harrods Park Lane apartment before a flight. “He turned up at the apartment to my shock; I was just gobsmacked. I just didn’t really know what to do; he came in and sat me down on the sofa… he got his privates out and got my hands and was trying to manoeuvre them on his parts,” she said.

Gascoigne managed to escape that situation but expressed deep trauma over the incident. She reflected that knowing her parents might have deterred Al Fayed from going further.

Her allegations come as more women have stepped forward with accusations against Al Fayed, following a BBC investigation revealing multiple instances of sexual misconduct involving former employees at Harrods. The Metropolitan Police have recorded 60 allegations against him, including claims of rape and sexual assault, in addition to 21 reports from women regarding similar incidents from 2005 to 2023. Harrods has acknowledged that over 250 individuals are involved in compensation claims related to Al Fayed’s alleged misconduct.

During her interview, Gascoigne expressed regret for not coming forward sooner, admitting she felt immense shame about what happened to her. Despite her passion for her job as a fashion buyer—her “dream” position—she felt unable to confide in anyone, including her parents. “I loved my job because it’s exactly what I wanted to do – that was my dream,” she said. “And, you know, he’s doing all these things to me… I didn’t want to bring embarrassment and shame.” She also feared losing her job if she spoke out against Al Fayed.

Looking back on her teenage experiences, Gascoigne expressed sympathy for her younger self, saying, “I look back now and just feel very sorry for my 16-year-old self and wish I could protect her.” She also recounted how Al Fayed would belittle her father's struggles with addiction and mental health issues, further manipulating her into viewing him as a “father figure.”

Now a mother herself, Gascoigne felt compelled to share her story after seeing other women come forward with similar allegations against Al Fayed. “I feel like I have to do this, like I want to do this. I want to stand for the women… hopefully make any kind of change so that in the future my daughter won’t have to go through something like this,” she stated.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the allegations as “horrifying” and emphasized the need for accountability from institutions associated with Al Fayed. Harrods has previously expressed its shock regarding these allegations and stated that it is now a very different organization compared to when Al Fayed was in control from 1985 to 2010. As more victims come forward, the legacy of Mohamed Al Fayed is increasingly overshadowed by serious accusations of abuse and exploitation during his tenure as head of Harrods.

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