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| John Worboys: Parole chief apologises to victims | John Worboys: Parole chief apologises to victims |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The chairman of the Parole Board has apologised "unreservedly" after some victims of sex attacker John Worboys were not told about his release. | The chairman of the Parole Board has apologised "unreservedly" after some victims of sex attacker John Worboys were not told about his release. |
| Nick Hardwick said hearing the decision must have been "horrible" for the women but the board was "confident" 60-year-old Worboys would not reoffend. | Nick Hardwick said hearing the decision must have been "horrible" for the women but the board was "confident" 60-year-old Worboys would not reoffend. |
| Former black-cab driver Worboys is believed to have carried out more than 100 rapes and sexual assaults on women. | Former black-cab driver Worboys is believed to have carried out more than 100 rapes and sexual assaults on women. |
| Victims' groups and charities have condemned the decision to free him. | Victims' groups and charities have condemned the decision to free him. |
| In 2009 Worboys was convicted of 19 offences, including one count of rape. He has served 10 years in jail, although police believe he has attacked many more women. | In 2009 Worboys was convicted of 19 offences, including one count of rape. He has served 10 years in jail, although police believe he has attacked many more women. |
| Prof Hardwick said the fact some victims were not informed was a fault with the parole system, but the decision itself would have been carefully considered. | Prof Hardwick said the fact some victims were not informed was a fault with the parole system, but the decision itself would have been carefully considered. |
| Why was he released from indefinite term? | Why was he released from indefinite term? |
| "We look at a whole range of evidence - both what happened in the original offences, the judge's sentencing remarks, the programmes or work a prisoner has done, reports from people who know the prisoner well," he said. | "We look at a whole range of evidence - both what happened in the original offences, the judge's sentencing remarks, the programmes or work a prisoner has done, reports from people who know the prisoner well," he said. |
| "So we look at a whole range of evidence in coming to our decision. And we have to be confident that someone won't reoffend before we release them. And that's what the panel would have done in this case." | "So we look at a whole range of evidence in coming to our decision. And we have to be confident that someone won't reoffend before we release them. And that's what the panel would have done in this case." |
| Prof Hardwick is to be summoned before the House of Commons Justice Committee to explain how the decision was reached and why some victims had not been informed. | Prof Hardwick is to be summoned before the House of Commons Justice Committee to explain how the decision was reached and why some victims had not been informed. |
| Chair Bob Neill said what had happened was "very disturbing" and it was "vital that the public has confidence in Parole Board decisions". | Chair Bob Neill said what had happened was "very disturbing" and it was "vital that the public has confidence in Parole Board decisions". |
| One of the many people to criticise the Parole Board is London mayor Sadiq Khan, who called on it to reconsider its decision. | One of the many people to criticise the Parole Board is London mayor Sadiq Khan, who called on it to reconsider its decision. |
| "Too often victims are at best treated as an afterthought, or ignored altogether and this seems to have happened again in this case," he said. | "Too often victims are at best treated as an afterthought, or ignored altogether and this seems to have happened again in this case," he said. |
| Why do the police believe he attacked more women - and why were no more prosecutions brought? | |
| The Met Police revealed in 2010 that other victims had come forward in the wake of Worboys's conviction and officers suspected he had attacked more than 100 women between 2002 and 2008. | |
| The allegations were investigated but no further action was taken on the advice of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), police said. | The allegations were investigated but no further action was taken on the advice of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), police said. |
| In October 2010, the CPS said in a statement: "We have seen no new material since the trial and we actually considered somewhere between 35 and 40 case files at the time." | |
| BBC's Home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said it was "far from clear that the Met Police ever asked the CPS to make further charging decisions". | |
| Speaking outside his home on Friday, Sir Keir Starmer, who was director of public prosecutions at the time of Warboys's conviction, said that if anybody felt allegations they had made had not been sufficiently investigated they should "go to the police". | |
| When asked whether he thought the right decision was made by prosecutors, the shadow Brexit secretary said only the Crown Prosecution Service could provide "an accurate readout of the decisions that were made". | |
| Why were some victims not told about Worboys's release? | Why were some victims not told about Worboys's release? |
| One of Worboys's victims told BBC News she was unaware that his parole hearing had been successful and he was due to be let out. | One of Worboys's victims told BBC News she was unaware that his parole hearing had been successful and he was due to be let out. |
| And Harriet Wistrich, a lawyer who represents two of Worboys's victims, said neither woman had received a letter to inform them the convicted rapist would be released. | And Harriet Wistrich, a lawyer who represents two of Worboys's victims, said neither woman had received a letter to inform them the convicted rapist would be released. |
| She said one of the women felt she should not have had to "receive the news and see his face everywhere while cooking tea for her children". | She said one of the women felt she should not have had to "receive the news and see his face everywhere while cooking tea for her children". |
| Responsibility for informing victims about Worboys's release rested with the National Probation Service. | Responsibility for informing victims about Worboys's release rested with the National Probation Service. |
| The Ministry of Justice said some victims had chosen not to be updated about the case while others decided to be informed by letters which would have taken some time to arrive. | The Ministry of Justice said some victims had chosen not to be updated about the case while others decided to be informed by letters which would have taken some time to arrive. |
| "Our priority is to support victims and it is right that we respect their decisions about how they are contacted," a spokesperson said. | "Our priority is to support victims and it is right that we respect their decisions about how they are contacted," a spokesperson said. |
| Were victims' voices heard strongly enough? | Were victims' voices heard strongly enough? |
| The ruling by the Parole Board - which examines the cases of prisoners in England and Wales - has sparked outrage among victims' support groups. | The ruling by the Parole Board - which examines the cases of prisoners in England and Wales - has sparked outrage among victims' support groups. |
| The charity Rape Crisis described Worboys's period of incarceration as "woefully short" for such a "dangerous and manipulative perpetrator". | The charity Rape Crisis described Worboys's period of incarceration as "woefully short" for such a "dangerous and manipulative perpetrator". |
| Lisa Thompson, from the Rape and Sexual Violence Project charity, said the decision was "a massive failure of women who courageously went to the police in the first place and had then gone to court". | Lisa Thompson, from the Rape and Sexual Violence Project charity, said the decision was "a massive failure of women who courageously went to the police in the first place and had then gone to court". |
| Specialist abuse lawyer Richard Scorer, whose firm represented 11 of the victims, said the Parole Board must reveal whether "manipulative" Worboys "has finally admitted his crimes and shown any remorse". | Specialist abuse lawyer Richard Scorer, whose firm represented 11 of the victims, said the Parole Board must reveal whether "manipulative" Worboys "has finally admitted his crimes and shown any remorse". |
| Chair of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee Yvette Cooper has called for the Parole Board to publish its decisions, although Prof Hardwick said the board was forbidden by law from disclosing such details. | Chair of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee Yvette Cooper has called for the Parole Board to publish its decisions, although Prof Hardwick said the board was forbidden by law from disclosing such details. |
| A cross party group of 58 MPs has also written to the Secretary of State for Justice David Lidington calling for investigation into whether the voices of Worboys's victims were heard during the decision to release him. | A cross party group of 58 MPs has also written to the Secretary of State for Justice David Lidington calling for investigation into whether the voices of Worboys's victims were heard during the decision to release him. |
| What might happen now? | What might happen now? |
| Prof Hardwick said he wanted to make the Parole Board's decisions more transparent and he would "welcome the backing of MPs to do that". | Prof Hardwick said he wanted to make the Parole Board's decisions more transparent and he would "welcome the backing of MPs to do that". |
| But he said a consultation was required first "as it was not straightforward process". | But he said a consultation was required first "as it was not straightforward process". |
| How did Worboys carry out his crimes? | How did Worboys carry out his crimes? |
| Worboys, a former stripper from Rotherhithe, south-east London, targeted young women who had been drinking in the West End of London | Worboys, a former stripper from Rotherhithe, south-east London, targeted young women who had been drinking in the West End of London |
| After deceiving them with a ruse that he had won the lottery, he produced champagne and a carrier bag stuffed with cash, before inviting them to celebrate with him. | After deceiving them with a ruse that he had won the lottery, he produced champagne and a carrier bag stuffed with cash, before inviting them to celebrate with him. |
| But the alcohol was laced with powerful sedatives, and once the drugs had taken hold he attacked the women in the back of his cab. | But the alcohol was laced with powerful sedatives, and once the drugs had taken hold he attacked the women in the back of his cab. |
| What was he convicted of? | What was he convicted of? |
| Worboys was convicted in 2009 of 19 charges of drugging and sexually assaulting 12 passengers and one charge of rape. | Worboys was convicted in 2009 of 19 charges of drugging and sexually assaulting 12 passengers and one charge of rape. |
| He was given an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) and told he would not be released until parole officials were convinced he did not pose a threat to women. | He was given an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) and told he would not be released until parole officials were convinced he did not pose a threat to women. |
| Worboys was ordered to serve at least eight years in jail. When he is released from prison later this month he will have spent a decade in custody, including a period on remand. | Worboys was ordered to serve at least eight years in jail. When he is released from prison later this month he will have spent a decade in custody, including a period on remand. |
| IPP sentences were abolished in 2012 after it emerged that they were being used more widely than intended, but the decision was not applied retrospectively to more than 6,000 IPP prisoners - including Worboys - who were behind bars at that time. | IPP sentences were abolished in 2012 after it emerged that they were being used more widely than intended, but the decision was not applied retrospectively to more than 6,000 IPP prisoners - including Worboys - who were behind bars at that time. |
| What will his freedom look like? | What will his freedom look like? |
| Malcolm Fowler, a retired solicitor with 48 years' experience, said Worboys "would be anything but a free man" on his release from prison. | Malcolm Fowler, a retired solicitor with 48 years' experience, said Worboys "would be anything but a free man" on his release from prison. |
| The 60 year old will be subject to licence conditions including weekly reporting to his supervisor. | The 60 year old will be subject to licence conditions including weekly reporting to his supervisor. |
| Any breach of his conditions could lead to his recall to prison. | Any breach of his conditions could lead to his recall to prison. |