Worboys to be asked if he minds wearing a tag
John Worboys will be asked if he objects to wearing an electronic tag on his release from prison.
The 60-year-old, dubbed the black cab rapist, was to be freed at the end of last month after being granted parole.
The Daily Telegraph has learnt that the original conditions for his release allowed him to live in London without an electronic tag. His victims are demanding he is tagged, however, and banned from residing in London. But Worboys must be asked whether he objects before more stringent conditions are put in place.
JOHN WORBOYS will be asked if he objects to wearing an electronic tag on his release from prison.
The 60-year-old, dubbed the black cab rapist, was to be freed at the end of last month after being granted parole.
The Daily Telegraph has learnt that the original conditions for his release allowed him to live in London without an electronic tag.
A Parole Board panel judged him to be no longer a risk to the public at a hearing in December, despite complaints that he drugged and sexually assaulted more than 100 women.
Victims have now protested to the board about the terms of his release. They are demanding he is tagged and is banned from residing in London where most of his victims live.
But Worboys must be asked whether he objects before more stringent conditions can be put in place.
His lawyers can contest tougher licensing on the basis that nothing about his circumstances have changed since the board first agreed them.
A Parole Board spokesman said: “Tagging was discussed initially but wasn’t on the original licence. They [the victims] have gone for additional requests. Worboys will now be asked, ‘Do you want to be tagged or would you be against being tagged?’
“If his legal representative said it is not reasonable, then that argument would normally go back to the original Parole Board panel.” The Telegraph understands the original plan was for Worboys to live in a London bail hostel where it was felt authorities could keep a closer watch on him, not least for his own protection.
Two victims have lodged a judicial review of the decision to release Worboys and the High Court is expected at a hearing on Wednesday to agree to disclose all material in the case.
Lawyers for the two women will need to persuade the court that Worboys’ release was irrational because of the danger they insist he still poses.
The Parole Board is standing by its decision but will not contest the disclosure of documents that led to granting parole to Worboys. The hearing will pave the way for a full legal review, probably within a fortnight. If the victims lose the case Worboys will then be eligible for release by the end of February, a month later than planned.
Worboys was transferred back to HMP Wakefield last week after an uproar over the recent decision to move him Belmarsh prison, meaning he was closer to where his attacks took place.
The solicitor for the two women bringing the review has passed details of five new victims to the Metropolitan Police. Harriet Wistrich, of law firm Birnberg Peirce, said: “We have passed five new cases on to the police, which have never been investigated. We have also asked police to look at cases that were investigated at the time but not prosecuted.”