A lawyer has told Sky News that 290 women have applied to the Harrods compensation scheme over claims they were sexually abused by former owner Mohamed al Fayed.

Fayedwho died aged 94 in August 2023, was accused of widespread abuse of female staff while he owned the department store.

Dame Jasvinder Sanghera has been appointed counsel for the Justice for Harrods Survivors group.

She says she wrote personal letters to 290 women who applied to Harrods’ compensation scheme.

“There are 290 women currently in the Harrods trial, but in my experience there will be a lot of women who need to report,” she told Britain Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee.

“There will be many women who will stay at their reports for several reasons. It takes a lot of courage. I’m sure there are more.

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Dame Jasvinder is a human rights campaigner and founder of the charity Karma Nirvana – for victims of honor abuse.

She spoke at length about how her parents tried to force her into marriage before she escaped and was disowned by them.

Earlier, Justice for Harrods survivors said at least 420 people had contacted them about the allegations against Fayed.

He was among them Bianca Gascoignedaughter of former England player Paul Gascoigne.

Speaking to Sky News last month, she said she was groomed and then sexually assaulted by Fayed while working at Harrods as a teenager.

Former Fulham captain Ronnie Gibbons she also claimed that the former owner of Harrods had sexually assaulted her.

The former footballer told The Athletic he tried to “forcefully kiss” and grope her while she was working at Harrods, aged 20, in 2000.

Last month, three women spoke BBC News they were sexually assaulted by Fayed’s brother Salah, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2010.

In a statement, the luxury retailer, which was sold to Qatar Holdings in 2010 for £1.5 billion, said: “We encourage these survivors to come forward and make their claims to the Harrods scheme where they can claim compensation , as well as support from a counseling perspective and through an independent survivor advocate.

“We also hope that they are looking at all avenues that are right for them in their pursuit of justice, whether it’s Harrods, the police or the Fayed family and estate.”

Harrods launched an internal review after the initial allegations against Fayed came to light to establish whether the abuse extended to any current members of staff. It has not revealed any results yet.

Many alleged victims also file separate legal actions.