We were wrong, says Parole chief

PAROLE Board chief Nick Hardwick yesterday praised victims of Worboys as he was forced to quit over the court debacle and admitted errors.

Professor Hardwick, 60, wrote in his letter of resignation: “I want to repeat my admiration for the courage and tenacity of the women who brought the judicial review.

“Their success will have consequences that go far beyond this individual case and will benefit victims and administration of justice for years to come.” Professor Hardwick had been chairman of the body since March 2016.

He acknowledged that yesterday’s ruling was critical of “some aspects” of the panel’s decision-making processes, but said it “did not overturn the panel’s decisions on these grounds”.

He added: “The court did, however, find that the panel’s understanding that it could not go beyond the offences for which Worboys was convicted was mistaken.

“I shared the panel’s misapprehension in this matter and this was supported by the advice I received. We were wrong.”

Saying he was “sorry for the mistakes that were made”, Professor Hardwick said he would “accept accountability” for the Board’s work and “will not pass the buck to those who work under me”.

Mr Gauke said he believed Professor Hardwick’s decision to resign was correct “in light of the serious failings” outlined in the judgment.

But Phillippa Kaufmann QC, who represented Worboys’ victims, said the debacle did not lie “solely at the feet of the Parole Board”.

Professor Hardwick had previously served as Chief Inspector of Prisons from 2010 to 2016.