... as humiliated minister fails to block his release

DAVID Gauke suffered a selfinflicted humiliation yesterday when he back-tracked on a bid to keep John Worboys behind bars.

Last Sunday the Justice Secretary signalled that he would attempt to fight the rapist’s release.

But only five days after raising victims’ hopes, he dashed them in the Commons.

His advisers had briefed a Sunday newspaper that Mr Gauke had asked for legal advice on whether the Parole Board decision to free Worboys could be contested in a judicial review.

But it quickly became apparent that such an unprecedented legal challenge would undermine the independence of the Parole Board and within 4 hours its chairman, Nick Hardwick, had hit back saying: ‘We resist political interference in our decisions.’

Yesterday Mr Gauke was forced into embarrassing

David Gauke yesterday climbdown after being advised by lawyers that there was no prospect of success if such a review was launched.

The hasty retreat will leave many wondering about the naivety of Mr Gauke only two weeks into his stint at the Ministry of Justice.