MP criticises police for not investigating Sir Philip Green

THE Metropolitan Police is under fire for failing to investigate Sir Philip Green, after rejecting an MP’S call to open an inquiry.

Victims would first need to come forward to the police before it could take any action, Assistant Commissioner Mark Simmons has said.

Writing to Peter Kyle, who reported Sir Philip to the police in February, Mr Simmons said he had “no grounds to launch an investigation at this time”.

Mr Kyle, who sits on the business, energy and industrial strategy committee, said he was “very disappointed” by the response.

He said: “I am heartbroken that our force is sitting down, waiting for alleged victims to come knocking at its door. By definition these people are not capable of coming forward. They are bullied, they are scared and they have been silenced by the aggressive use of expensive gagging orders.

“I want people to be protected by a proactive police force. The police should have at least put in an official notice requesting potential victims to come forward with evidence.”

Writing this week to Mr Kyle on behalf of Metropolitan police commissioner Cressida Dick, Mr Simmons said: “At the present time no victims or witnesses have come forward to the Metropolitan Police in relation to these allegations, therefore no allegations of crime have been recorded.

“If further information is received, and victims are identified then our position will of course be reviewed.”

Mr Kyle is to reply today reflecting his concerns about the Met’s approach. He said the police’s response was a “bitter disappointment for those of us who care about having workplaces that are free of the kind of behaviour Philip Green has now become associated with.”

In February the Labour MP called on the police to investigate allegations made by former members of staff against the billionaire Topshop owner. He detailed allegations published in The Telegraph, including that one woman was groped and had her bottom smacked, another was said to have been put in a headlock, and that a male employee was allegedly racially abused.

Sir Philip is under investigation by US police after a pilates instructor claimed he groped her while she was working at a luxury resort in Arizona.

He has repeatedly denied any unlawful sexual or racist behaviour and said he had never intentionally gone beyond “banter” with his staff.

‘I am heartbroken that our force is sitting down, waiting for alleged victims to come knocking at its door’