A former Harrods doctor who worked there during the “predatory” reign of Mohammed Al-Fayed says she refused to carry out sexual health tests on potential victims.
Al-Fayed, who died last year at age 94, was accused of a litany of sexual crimes against dozens of women, some as young as 15, during the years he owned it. London, the most prestigious department store in Brazil.
More than 20 former Harrods employees have accused him of sexual assault, including rape, and Met Police have since announced that they are now 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, with the results sent to him.
Dr Jenny Duckham, 78, ran the occupational health department when Al-Fayed bought the store in 1985.
A former Harrods doctor who worked there during the “predatory” reign of Mohammed Al-Fayed (pictured) says she refused to carry out sexual health tests on potential victims
Al-Fayed, who died last year aged 94, was 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 told The Times that human resources team “introduced themselves” and asked him if she would perform “gynecological exams” on women shortly after he took over the store.
Dr Duckham said she replied 'absolutely not. Why?' and HR told her not to worry and they would 'deal with it'.
'I heard he told them to leave the store, he would pay the doctors outside to do the tests,' she said.
'I thought he was a dirty old man… I just thought the man was horrible and crazy and what do you do, seriously? The atmosphere was terrible.
Dr. Duckham stated that everyone “knew it was unsafe” and the person who asked her to do the tests asked in a way that suggested they knew it was “inappropriate.”
She said that in refusing to take the test she believed “it would kill the test” but now thinks it was “extremely naive of me”. But she explained that she had “no idea” of the extent of his behavior.
She said Al-Fayed had a “little empire with locked doors on the top floor” of the building, but still fondly remembers the store as being like “Aladdin’s cave.”
After being fired in 1991, she destroyed her employees' confidential notes because she feared Al-Fayed might read them.
Dr. Duckham recalled other disturbing stories about Al-Fayed telling employees to put on “black face” and “bribing” them.
Three doctors have been publicly named by survivors for allegedly administering sexual health tests to the former Harrods boss.
AlFayed 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 American lawyer 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 having tests.
She is accused of having carried out “invasive” and “totally unnecessary” STD tests at the request of the disgraced billionaire.
The doctor, who still runs a clinic in 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 replied: 'No, I don't.'
One of Fayed's victims, who is part of the survivors' group Justice for Harrods, told the BBC that “the tests carried out by Dr Coxon were intrusive and completely unnecessary”.
“It also resulted in the inappropriate sharing of many employees’ confidential medical information – including mine – within Harrods,” the victim added.
'This shouldn't have happened.'
The victims' group reported Dr Coxon to the UK 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 is also still practicing, carried out an “invasive examination” on her.
Wendy Snell, another doctor named by the alleged victims, has died.
Dr Duckham said: 'It was horrible. I am really sorry? Well, I'm really sad for these girls.
She wants the GMC to investigate the doctors who allegedly carried out these tests and who are still practicing, calling it “astonishing” that anyone would agree to this.
An Australian doctor who allegedly carried out the sexual health tests has denied claims she did so at his request, insisting that even if he had tested the Harrods team, they would never have shared their details with the predatory billionaire.
Princess Diana with Al-Fayed attending a benefit dinner for the Harefield Heart Unit held at Harrods, London, February 1996
Dr Ann Coxon, 84, who still practices in Harley Street, denied having tests
Dr. Jane Reffell allegedly performed a “comprehensive gynecological examination” on a young lawyer who was handpicked to work for Fayed in 1989 because of her good looks.
Dr. Jane Reffell allegedly performed a “comprehensive gynecological examination” on a young lawyer who was handpicked to work for Fayed in 1989 because of her good looks.
Later, the decadent billionaire would make repeated sexual advances against the lawyer, then 25 years old, forcing her to lock herself in the bathroom of his suite in Paris.
Daily Mail Australia tracked Dr Reffell to the quiet village of Bangalow in NSW's Northern Rivers region, about 15 minutes inland from the hippie hotspot of Byron Bay, where she runs a women's health practice since 2002.
Journalist Tom Bowers' book claimed that Dr Reffell 'understood what Fayed demanded', which was that his female staff had a clean bill of sexual health before he attacked them.
However, Dr. Reffell vehemently denied having played such a role.
“I just can’t believe it was me,” she told this publication.
'There are other doctors who worked closely with Fayed, but not me.'
When asked whether she had ever carried out a sexual health test on a Harrods employee, Dr Reffell said: 'I have had tests but it was private and confidential.
'And I never did it for Al Fayed himself, but I might have done it for his staff if they were patients at the clinic.'
Dr. Reffell said sharing a patient's confidential information was a “red line” she would never cross.
She said she was “horrified” by the revelations and expressed sympathy for Fayed’s victims.
