Victim left furious as Worboys avoids fresh rape charges
PROSECUTORS have refused to review the case of a woman attacked by John Worboys, the Black Cab rapist, despite civil courts ruling he raped her.
The Daily Telegraph understands the victim, who can only be identified as DSD, learnt this week her case would not be heard despite new evidence that proves she had been drugged.
She was raped by the serial sex attacker in 2003, but he was never charged. Earlier this year, the married mother of three asked the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to reconsider its decision and charge him with rape.
Last night, she spoke of her anger that Worboys would be allowed to “get away” with raping her. Speaking to The Telegraph, she described the CPS decision as “an insult”, saying police explained that hers was not a new case.
“The CPS are absolutely adamant. They’re sticking to their guns and will not look at any old cases,” she said.
“It’s absolutely shocking. It feels like it’s all geared up to protect Worboys. The victims count for nothing. It’s disgusting. He’s got away with raping me.” DSD, one of Worboys’ first victims, was drugged and raped in 2003, but her case was not among the 12 taken to court when he was finally arrested in 2008. At the time, she was told there was enough evidence to take her case to court but the CPS decided not to overload the indictment against Worboys by prosecuting every attack. Dozens of women were told the prosecution would be more powerful if the court heard only the strongest cases.
As a result, he was convicted of just one rape, along with five sexual assaults, an attempted assault and 12 drugging charges. He was given an indeterminate sentence, but late last year the parole board decided he was safe to be released after serving just 10 years. Many victims whose cases were not
prosecuted at the time have asked the CPS to reconsider bringing fresh charges. But prosecutors insist they can only bring charges where there is fresh evidence or where there are new cases put before them.
The CPS released a statement in January saying if cases did not pass “the evidential test” at the time they came to their attention, the victims would have to present new evidence before they would consider prosecuting.
DSD said that in the years since her rape was first investigated, new evidence had come to light, in the form of a toxicology report which proved she was drugged. “The police always said no drugs were found in my system, but it was confirmed during the civil proceedings that there were Nytol and antidepressants in my system,” she said.
Even before the toxicology report was revealed, DSD was told her case was strong enough to bring to court. “The only reason the CPS apparently didn’t pick me is because I couldn’t identify his picture,” said DSD. “A lot of victims couldn’t identify him. They went for the ones that ticked the boxes, because they didn’t want any doubts.”
She said it was vitally important her case was heard as Worboys was only convicted of one rape. “It wasn’t a sexual assault, it was a rape, and he was only ever convicted of one,” she said. “We are all convinced that he will come out and reoffend. No woman is safe.”
Worboys’ victims are also awaiting the result of a judicial review into whether the Parole Board’s decision to release him was lawful.
During proceedings at the High Court last week, legal teams acting for the board and for Worboys said the decision had been made based on the 12 cases tried in court, arguing the onus was on the CPS to prosecute any further cases.
Harriet Wistrich, the solicitor acting for DSD and five other victims who have asked for their cases to be reopened, said she would ask the CPS to explain any findings they made.