Victims of taxi rapist win judicial review

Victims of black cab rapist John Worboys have welcomed a ruling giving them the goahead to challenge what they describe as the “irrational” decision to release him from jail.

London mayor Sadiq Khan, who was also allowed to proceed with judicial review action against the Parole Board, said the decision by two High Court judges yesterday was a “relief ”.

He said: “The victims of John Worboys, and all Londoners, will be relieved at this ruling. I’m pleased that there will now be an opportunity for thorough scrutiny of this decision by the Parole Board.”

As Worboys, 60, listened from the dock of the London courtroom, Sir Brian Leve- son and Mr Justice Garnham ruled that the challenge to the lawfulness of the board’s decision should be considered at a full hearing, starting on 13 March.

The judges also ordered that a temporary bar on Worboys’s release, imposed by the High Court last month, should continue pending that hearing.

Solicitor Harriet Wistrich, who is representing the victims, said after the hearing: “We are obviously very pleased that permission has been granted to proceed.

“We are looking forward to being able to understand and scrutinise all the material before the Parole Board, to consider how to bring forward a challenge.”

She said one of the victims, who was in court for the hearing, found it “very, very difficult” that Worboys was there.