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John Worboys: Parole chief 'concerned' victims not told John Worboys: Parole chief 'concerned' victims not told
(35 minutes later)
The chairman of the Parole Board which decided the release of John Worboys has said he is "very concerned" the sex attacker's victims had not been told. The chairman of the Parole Board has said he is "very concerned" that some victims of sex attacker John Worboys had not been told about his release.
Nick Hardwick said the decision must have been "very distressing" for the women affected and admitted there was a "lack of transparency" in the process. Nick Hardwick said the decision must have been "absolutely horrible" for the women affected, adding: "I apologise for it unreservedly."
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.
Worboys was convicted in 2009 of 19 charges of drugging and sexually assaulting 12 women passengers and one charge of rape while working in London. Professor 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.
He was ordered to serve at least eight years in jail but the following year the Met Police said other women had come forward and that the suspected total number of his victims exceeded 100. "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.
When he is released from prison later this month, aged 60, he will have spent a decade in custody, including a period on remand. "So we look at a whole range of evidence in coming to our decision. And we have to be confident that someone won't re-offend before we release them. And that's what the panel would have done in this case."
Why did Worboys face no further prosecutions?
The Met Police revealed in 2010 that other women had come forward in the wake of Worboys' conviction and they suspected he had attacked more than 100 women between 2002 and 2008.
Although the allegations were investigated, no further action was taken on the advice of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), police said.
Labour MP Sir Keir Starmer, who was then director of public prosecutions, is facing calls to explain why the allegations against Worboys were not taken further.
What is Keir Starmer's reaction?
Speaking outside his home on Friday, the shadow Brexit secretary said: "First and foremost, it's very important that if there are any allegations that anybody thinks have not been looked into, sufficiently or at all, they go to the police and make those allegations so they can be looked into.
"The second important thing is that it's really important that what's said is factually accurate.
"As you know, the Crown Prosecution Service holds the file on this case, they made the decisions in the case, and it is really important you go to them to get an accurate read-out of the decisions that have been made."
Asked whether he thought the right decision was made by prosecutors, he added: "I think these decisions were nine years ago and it's very important you go to the Crown Prosecution Service and get an accurate read-out of the decisions that were made, particularly if further allegations have been made now."
What has been the reaction to Worboys' release?
The Parole Board's ruling has sparked outrage among victims' support groups.The Parole Board's ruling has sparked outrage among victims' support groups.
The charity Rape Crisis described Worboys' period of incarceration as "woefully short" for such a "dangerous and manipulative perpetrator".The charity Rape Crisis described Worboys' period of incarceration as "woefully short" for such a "dangerous and manipulative perpetrator".
Lisa Thompson from the charity, Rape and Sexual Violence Project, 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 charity, Rape and Sexual Violence Project, 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."
Prof Hardwick said there "should be robust arrangements in place for victims to be informed" and the Parole Board "were told that had been done as usual in this case".
"We will shortly be launching a public consultation about how we share our decision-making with the public," he said.
Chairwoman of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee Yvette Cooper has called for the Parole Board to publish its decisions.Chairwoman of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee Yvette Cooper has called for the Parole Board to publish its decisions.
Ms Cooper said: "Given the seriousness of this case, the Parole Board should publish their reasons immediately so both the decision and the process can be scrutinised before this man is released.Ms Cooper said: "Given the seriousness of this case, the Parole Board should publish their reasons immediately so both the decision and the process can be scrutinised before this man is released.
The director of public prosecutions at the time of Worboys' conviction, Labour's Sir Keir Starmer, said any potential victims with concerns about how their case was handled should "go to police and make those allegations so they can be looked into." What might happen now?
Prof Hardwick said there should be robust arrangements in place for victims to be informed and that he would welcome the opportunity to open up the Parole Board to scrutiny.
"We will shortly be launching a public consultation about how we share our decision-making with the public," he said.
"One good thing that might come out of this is that I hope that parliamentarians will see the need for change and we will get some backing for plans to open the parole system up.
"I mean I agree with what people are saying, for justice to be done it needs to be seen to be done. The Parole Board is much too closed a process. I want to open it up and I'd welcome the backing of MPs to do that".
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 LondonWorboys, 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?
Worboys was convicted in 2009 of 19 charges of drugging and sexually assaulting 12 women passengers and one charge of rape.
At his sentencing, during which he was described as a "repetitive predatory sexual offender", Worboys was told he would not be released until parole officials were convinced he did not pose a threat to women.At his sentencing, during which he was described as a "repetitive predatory sexual offender", Worboys was told he would not be released until parole officials were convinced he did not pose a threat to women.
After a hearing about his case in November, the Parole Board decided to approve his release with "stringent" licence conditions. The period on licence lasts for at least 10 years and he can be sent back to jail if he breaches the conditions. He was ordered to serve at least eight years in jail but when he is released from prison later this month, aged 60, he will have spent a decade in custody, including a period on remand.
Worboys will also have to report to probation staff every week and is barred from contacting any of his victims.
One of Worboys' 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' victims, said neither woman had received a letter to inform them that 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".
Mrs Wistrich criticised the original sentence as being too short, saying it was just "one month per sexual assault".
She said: "It feels like another smack in the face, after having spent years battling for justice to [hold] the police to account for failing to investigate, that they've also not had the courtesy to inform her".
In 2014 Mrs Wistrich's clients won their High Court bid to receive compensation from the Met Police over the way the case was handled.
At the time Mr Justice Green said "systemic" failures in the investigation meant Worboys was not stopped earlier.
In 2010 Worboys had an appeal against his conviction thrown out by the Court of Appeal, where Lord Justice Moses labelled his offences as "appalling".
Malcolm Fowler, a retired solicitor of 48 years, said Worboys "would be anything but a free man" on his release from prison.
"The judge said he was going to serve at least eight years, and he has served a little more than that.
"Worboys is not walking a free man from prison. He is going to be on a very conscious monitoring system, and rightly so."
The Metropolitan Police said it would not be commenting on Worboys' release.