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Reality star and model Biana Gascoigne is the latest woman to accuse the late Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed of sexual assault.
The model, 37 – daughter of ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne – recalled the harrowing details of the alleged assault to Sky News which left her ’embarrassed and shamed’ to speak out earlier.
Gascoigne explained that during her time working at Harrods, Al Fayed disparaged her father, called him an ’embarrassment’ and told her to look to him as a ‘father figure’.
She continued: ‘I just felt a false sense of security with him early doors, because I used to go into the store with my mum and dad, and he used to come over, be very charming, bring us gifts, very personable.’
She explained that she felt ‘safe in the former business magnate and Fulham FC owner’s presence and didn’t think twice about staying at his Harrod Park Lane apartment ahead of a work flight when she was just 16.
‘He turned up at the apartment, to my shock. I just couldn’t believe it,’ she recounted to the broadcaster.
‘I was just gobsmacked. I was kind of very shell-shocked, that I just didn’t really know what to do.
‘He came in, and then he sat me down on the sofa and was obviously very forceful with the touching and the kissing.
‘He got his private out and got my hand and was trying to manoeuvre it on his parts, and when that didn’t work, he was trying to force my head on his lap.
‘I don’t know how but I managed to wiggle away.’
Gascoigne speculated that him ‘knowing her parents’ might have ‘saved her’ at the time.
‘Obviously, I loved my job, because it was exactly what I wanted to do – that was my dream.
“He was doing all these things to me and I was close to people that he knew, and I felt like I couldn’t even tell them either because I didn’t want to bring embarrassment and shame.’
She recalled alleged threats to ‘lose her job’ if she said anything about the incident which she described as ‘so horrific’.
‘I just really got scared,’ she added.
‘I look back now and just feel very sorry for my 16-year-old self, and wish I could protect her.
‘I feel like I have to do this, I want to do this, and I want to stand for the women and just hopefully make any kind of change (so) that in the future, my daughter wouldn’t have to go through something like this.
‘It would be spoken about, and these predators wouldn’t be able to get away with what they’re getting away with.’
Historic allegations regarding Al Fayed’s conduct are being addressed.
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