Al Fayed, who passed away last year at 94, is accused of raping and sexually assaulting women who worked at the luxury department store. Victims claim he would “cherry-pick” women to be brought to his executive suite.

Legal representatives for the alleged victims stated they have received over 150 inquiries related to Al Fayed’s supposed crimes. In response to these claims, a CPS spokesperson has now disclosed that evidence against the Egyptian businessman was presented to prosecutors by the Metropolitan Police on two separate occasions.

According to the CPS, five women alleged they had been raped by Al Fayed. The spokesperson elaborated: “We reviewed files of evidence presented by the police in 2009 and 2015. To bring a prosecution, the CPS must be confident there is a realistic prospect of conviction – in each instance our prosecutors looked carefully at the evidence and concluded this wasn’t the case.

This admission raises questions about the handling of high-profile sexual abuse cases and the challenges in prosecuting powerful figures. The revelations have reignited debates about the justice system’s effectiveness in addressing historical sexual abuse allegations.

As more alleged victims come forward, pressure is mounting for a thorough investigation into the claims against Al Fayed and the circumstances surrounding the CPS’s decision not to prosecute.