Black cab rapist to stay in prison after parole U-turn
BLACK cab rapist John Worboys is to stay behind bars after being denied parole yesterday.
The notorious sex attacker was jailed indefinitely in 2009 after being convicted of assaulting 12 women.
But the Parole Board sparked fury in January by ruling he was safe to be released, despite detectives’ fears that he had actually attacked more than 100 females.
As a result, two of Worboys’s victims launched a legal challenge to keep the 61-year-old behind bars.
The High Court quashed the decision in March until a fresh hearing.
Yesterday, Parole Board officials ruled he is still a danger to women and said that his parole had been denied.
The news sparked relief from his victims.
One of the women who brought the judicial review against the Parole Board’s original decision said she felt “vindicated” by the announcement. She said: “We knew this man was a danger to women and we felt compelled to take action.
“It was the right decision for us to act and thank goodness we did.”
Kim Harrison, a specialist abuse lawyer at Slater and Gordon, which represents a number of Worboys’s victims, said: “Our clients are deeply relieved by this decision and feel that the right outcome has finally been reached.
Outrageous
“However, it is outrageous that victims had to go to court, and be put through further distress, to receive this outcome.
“We hope this marks the start of a new template of working, providing victims with the respect they deserve and restoring faith within the criminal justice system.” A Parole Board statement said: “The panel listed risk factors associated with Mr Worboys, including sexual preoccupation, a sense of sexual entitlement, his attitudes towards women [including a need to have sexual contact with women and to control women], a belief that rape is acceptable, alcohol misuse and problems with relationships.
“The panel was not satisfied that Mr Worboys was suitable for release or progression to the open estate.”
A spokeswoman added: “We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board gave a negative decision in the parole review of John Worboys following a paper hearing in October, 2018.
“Under current legislation, Mr Worboys will be eligible for a further review within two years.
“The date of the next review will be set by the Ministry of Justice.”
The rapist now has 28 days to request a hearing.