Police question Worboys over new claims of sex assault

BLACK cab rapist John Worboys is being investigated over a “number” of new allegations of sexual assault, it has emerged.

The serial sex attacker, whose release on parole was blocked by the High Court earlier this year, was interviewed under caution last month. The allegations include sexual assault and administering a substance with intent to commit a sexual offence. They span a decade from 1997 to 2007.

Earlier this year, five women came forward to make new allegations against Worboys, prompted by the decision that he was eligible for release after serving just 10 years. It is understood they were interviewed by officers.

The controversial decision to release Worboys was based on the fact that when he was convicted in 2009 it was for 19 offences against 12 victims. Since then a High Court judge has ruled that the taxi driver, who drugged women before raping them in the back of his cab, had probably assaulted more than

‘Officers have established there are a number of allegations that required investigation’

100 women.

Some of his victims took legal action to try and block his release and others asked for the offences against them, which were never prosecuted, to be reconsidered. Prosecutors at the time insisted they could only bring charges where there was fresh evidence or where new cases were put before them.

Harriet Wistrich, a lawyer for some of the victims, said that at least five had come forward to make new allegations. Worboys, who has changed his name to John Radford and is being held in a Wakefield prison, was interviewed over a number of new allegations last month.

Two of his victims won their case to block his release after the judges said both the Parole Board and the Ministry of Justice had made errors during the parole hearing last year.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: “Detectives investigating a number of allegations of non-recent sexual assault have interviewed a 61-year-old man under caution.

“An investigation was launched in January 2018 after a number of women contacted police with information. Since then, officers have assessed all the information provided and established there are a number of allegations that required investigation. Police also sought early investigative advice from the Crown Prosecution Service.”