Abused former footballer Ronnie Gibbons says women who spoke out against Mohamed Fayed were ‘amazingly brave’

ABUSED former footballer Ronnie Gibbons has said women who spoke out against Mohamed Fayed were “amazingly brave”.

Her praise came as solicitors said more than 420 victims and witnesses have now stepped forward.

Lawyers representing the sex fiend’s accusers also announced they had sent off their first letter of claim against Harrods, and warned anyone trying to avoid liability: “We are coming for you.”

And they said they do not trust the West London department store — now owned by the state of Qatar — to do the right thing.

Dean Armstrong KC described Fulham Football Club, where Gibbons was women’s captain, as one of Fayed’s “tentacles” in his abuse of women.

He told a press conference yesterday: “This is no longer only about Harrods.

“We now have clients who have suffered abuse at Fulham Football Club and at various other places associated with Fayed.”

Gibbons, now 44, revealed this month that she had twice been sexually assaulted by the billionaire Harrods and Fulham boss in a room at the luxury store when she was 20.

It was said she was driven by club staff to his lair and trapped, before being abused.

Gibbons said in a video message yesterday: “Seeing you [other victims] speak helped me have the courage to get in touch with barristers.

“As difficult as it’s been, it’s been very empowering.”

Mr Armstrong added that Gibbons’ hell “flies in the face of the suggestion that Fulham protected their players”.