Getty ImagesThe Crown Prosecution Service said it had twice considered prosecuting former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed but had concluded there was no realistic prospect of a conviction.
Police confirmed they had given evidence to the CPS in 2009 and 2015 and that it had been “carefully considered by the prosecution team”.
New allegations have emerged about the billionaire, who died last year at the age of 94.
The BBC documentary prompted dozens of women to come forward and say they were raped or sexually assaulted by the businessman.
In 2008, the Metropolitan police investigated Fayed after a 15-year-old girl alleged that he had sexually assaulted her in a conference room at Harrods.
The force said it had submitted a dossier to the CPS, a procedure that must be taken before charges can be laid.
Three investigations into allegations made by three other women in 2018, 2021 and 2023 reached such an advanced stage that Child Protective Services were called in to advise detectives.
However, in these cases, the complete file of evidence was not handed over to the prosecution.
Fayed bought Harrods in 1985 and sold it in 2010.
More than 20 women have told the BBC they were sexually assaulted or raped by the businessman while he worked at the luxury London department store Harrods.
Lawyers representing many of the women accusing Fayed outlined their case against Harrods on Friday.
Harrods’ current owners said earlier this week they were “deeply appalled by the allegations of abuse perpetrated by Mohamed Al-Fayed”.
“This was the action of individuals seeking to abuse their power wherever they operate and we condemn it in the strongest terms,” they said in response to a BBC investigation.
“We also acknowledge and sincerely apologise to the victim for any disappointment caused during this time. We are committed to making this right.”
The company said it was now a “very different organisation” and was “aiming to put employee welfare at the heart of everything we do”.
The department store’s new owners are setting up a compensation program for former employees who say they were assaulted by Fayed, but this is separate from legal action taken by some of his accusers.
Harrods has already reached financial settlements with the majority of people who have contacted the company from 2023 onwards, and has received new enquiries this week.
Harrods has accepted indirect liability for Mr Fayed’s actions and the settlement was not accompanied by a non-disclosure agreement.
Dean Armstrong, one of the lawyers representing the alleged victims, said he was “at a loss” as to what new information Harrods had received in 2023.
In an interview with the BBC on Saturday, he claimed the new owners, who bought Harrods in 2010, “either knew about it or were unwilling to acknowledge that there was a background of sexual misconduct. This is completely unacceptable.”
Armstrong also said his team has 37 clients, but the number of people who have contacted him with complaints about Fayed is approaching 150.
His lawyers say the assaults against Fayed took place around the world, including in the UK, the US, Canada, France, Malaysia and Dubai.
“This is truly a global incident, it’s not just a UK issue – it’s happened all over the world,” another lawyer, Bruce Drummond, told the BBC.
Deputy First Minister Angela Rayner said on Sunday she was concerned about a culture of “impunity for those in power” following the sexual abuse allegations against Mr Al Fayed.
“I think there’s a lot more that needs to be done to make sure that no one is immune from the law and no one can hide in the open,” she told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
