Parole Board chief defends the decision to free serial rapist

THE chairman of the Parole Board has warned against “political interference” in its decisions following an outcry over the impending release of black taxi rapist John Worboys.

Nick Hardwick delivered a staunch defence of the organisation after it faced intense scrutiny for directing that one of Britain’s most notorious sex offenders should be freed after a decade behind bars.

It also emerged that Worboys was denied a move to an open prison two years before he was assessed as safe to be released.

In September 2015, the board determined against transferring him to open conditions from a Category A jail.

Professor Hardwick acknowledged that the board should be open to scrutiny and legal challenge, saying he would welcome a move by Justice Secretary David Gauke to seek a judicial review of the Worboys decision.

He added: “I hope when people think about it, they will agree it is right we resist political interference in our decisions.

“Like any court, the Parole Board members must make independent decisions in accordance with the law and on the basis of evidence.

“It would be a bad day for us all if people’s rightful abhorrence

Taxi rapist John Worboys

of Worboys’ crimes or even justified concern about a Parole Board decision allowed these basic principles of justice to be overturned.”

An outcry erupted earlier this month after it emerged Worboys, a 60-year-old former black-taxi driver, was to be released from prison.

He was jailed indefinitely in 2009, with a minimum term of eight years, for drugging and sexually assaulting women passengers.

He was convicted of 19 offences relating to 12 victims, but has been linked to more than 100 complaints.

It emerged at the weekend that Mr Gauke was looking into the possibility of seeking a judicial review.

In a statement yesterday, Professor Hardwick noted that pub-