Bianca Gascoigne, the model daughter of footballer Paul Gascoigne, has publicly revealed the “horrific” incident in which she was sexually assaulted by Mohamed Al Fayed. She detailed the traumatic experience and its profound impact on her.
Bianca Gascoigne recounted an incident where Mohamed Al Fayed offered her the use of the Harrods Park Lane apartment before a flight, only for him to unexpectedly appear at the door while she was there.
In her account, Gascoigne, who recently became a mother, expressed her shock and disbelief at his sudden arrival. She explained: “[Al Fayed] turned up at the apartment to my shock. I was just gobsmacked, very shell-shocked. I didn’t really know what to do.”
She described how Al Fayed sat her down on the sofa, exposed himself, and attempted to force her hands onto his genitals. When that failed, he tried to push her head onto his lap. Despite the ordeal, Gascoigne managed to escape.
She further added that she believes her connection to her parents ultimately “saved her” when she refused to submit to his sexual demands. Gascoigne called the encounter “horrific” and revealed that she had kept the abuse secret out of fear of bringing shame to her family.
Bianca Gascoigne also accused the late businessman of grooming, alleging that he repeatedly told her her father was a “bad father” and made derogatory comments about his mental health and addiction issues. She claimed that during their weekly meetings, Al Fayed groped her and forced her to kiss him, threatening that she would lose her “dream job” if she confided in anyone.
Gascoigne is among the latest victims to come forward following news that Harrods is in the process of settling some of the 250 claims against Al Fayed. The luxury department store reported that these women stepped forward after the release of a BBC documentary last month, which revealed years of sexual abuse allegations against the former Harrods owner.
The Metropolitan Police have recorded 60 new allegations, in addition to 21 women who reported incidents between 2005 and 2023, including claims of rape and sexual assault. In addition to compensation claims, several law firms are pursuing legal action against Harrods on behalf of numerous victims. The Justice for Harrods Survivors group, representing the accusers, stated that their lawyers are currently working with 147 women.
Harrods has been approached for comment regarding these developments.
