Reality TV sensation and model Bianca Gascoigne has opened up about a "horrific" sexual assault she alleges was carried out by ex-Harrods chief Mohamed Al Fayed.
Chatting with Sky News, the 37 year old daughter of football legend Paul Gascoigne revealed that fears of bringing "embarrassment and shame" held her back from coming forward earlier.
Her revelations come as Harrods disclosed that over 250 individuals are involved in its scheme to resolve claims for compensation linked to alleged past sexual misdeeds by Mr Al Fayed. Despite 21 women levelling accusations against the former Harrods and Fulham FC owner, including charges of rape and sexual assault spanning from 2005 to 2023, the Met referred just two cases to prosecutors for a charging decision.
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The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reviewed evidence in 2009 and 2015 but opted not to proceed with prosecutions, citing insufficient chances of securing a conviction.
Reflecting on her stint at Harrods, Ms Gascoigne recounted: "He (Mr Al Fayed) used to tell me how much of a bad father my dad was, because he used to come into the store drunk. He used to tell me that he (Gascoigne) was an embarrassment, that I should look to him as a father figure.
"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. So I literally felt quite safe in his presence early doors."
Ms Gascoigne opened up to Sky News about a terrifying encounter with Mr Al Fayed at the Harrods Park Lane apartment. She recounted the ordeal, saying: "He turned up at the apartment, to my shock. I just couldn't believe it."
"I was just gobsmacked. I was kind of very shell-shocked, that I just didn't really know what to do." Detailing the harrowing experience, she added: "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." Ms Gascoigne revealed her reaction: "I don't know how but I managed to wiggle away."
Reflecting on the incident, she said: "I think possibly that him knowing my parents... I don't know, that might have saved me at that moment, but it was horrific." She spoke of her internal conflict: "Obviously, I loved my job, because it was exactly what I wanted to do that was my dream."
'So horrific'
"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." On why she kept silent for so long, Ms Gascoigne explained: "I was just trying to deal with what I was dealing with, what was going on, because it was just so horrific and I just didn't want to lose my job at that point."
She concluded with a chilling detail, stating: "He told me that if I would say anything that I would lose my job. So I just really got scared. 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."
Mr Al Fayed snapped up Harrods for a cool £615 million back in 1985. After a 26-year reign, he offloaded the iconic department store to the Qatari Royal family for a whopping £1.5 billion in 2010.
Mr Al Fayed passed away in 2023 at the ripe old age of 94.
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