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John Worboys release: parole chief sorry for failure to tell victims John Worboys release: parole chief sorry for failure to tell victims
(35 minutes later)
The Parole Board has apologised unreservedly for failing to inform all the victims of the serial sex attacker John Worboys before it announced its decision to release him after nine years of an indefinite sentence.The Parole Board has apologised unreservedly for failing to inform all the victims of the serial sex attacker John Worboys before it announced its decision to release him after nine years of an indefinite sentence.
Responding to mounting criticism about the release, the Parole Board’s chairman, Nick Hardwick, defended the decision but said the case highlighted the need for greater transparency.Responding to mounting criticism about the release, the Parole Board’s chairman, Nick Hardwick, defended the decision but said the case highlighted the need for greater transparency.
Worboys, a London black-cab driver, was jailed indefinitely in 2009 with a minimum term of eight years for drugging and sexually assaulting female passengers. Nine months into his ninth year in prison, a three-person panel cleared him to be freed.Worboys, a London black-cab driver, was jailed indefinitely in 2009 with a minimum term of eight years for drugging and sexually assaulting female passengers. Nine months into his ninth year in prison, a three-person panel cleared him to be freed.
The Parole Board is able to assess the continued risk posed by prisoners based on psychiatrist and prison guard reports at Parole Board hearings that take place around once a year for each offender. Some of the hearings are oral, some of them written.
In November, a three-person panel of the Parole Board directed the release of Worboys, following an oral hearing. He will be released back into society under strict monitoring on a licence period of at least 10 years.
Parole Board hearings are held in private and reasons for release are not made public, although a consultation is to be launched on how the body shares its decision-making with the public.
The Parole Board is an independent body and its recommendation for Worboys’ release cannot be overturned by the Ministry of Justice.
There are examples of Parole Board decisions being challenged by judicial review in the courts, but only when the prisoner has been denied release.
Read a fuller explainer on John Worboys
The Parole Board has been under growing pressure to publish its reasons for Worboys’ release. Yvette Cooper, the MP and chair of the home affairs select committee, called the decision “shocking”.The Parole Board has been under growing pressure to publish its reasons for Worboys’ release. Yvette Cooper, the MP and chair of the home affairs select committee, called the decision “shocking”.
“There are many serious questions why this dangerous man has been given parole after serving such a short sentence for his attacks against women,” she 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.”“There are many serious questions why this dangerous man has been given parole after serving such a short sentence for his attacks against women,” she 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.”
After Worboys’ conviction, police received further complaints from dozens of women and said that over his 13-year career as a London taxi driver he could have drugged and attacked more than 100 female passengers.After Worboys’ conviction, police received further complaints from dozens of women and said that over his 13-year career as a London taxi driver he could have drugged and attacked more than 100 female passengers.
Hardwick said he was “very surprised and shocked” to hear that two of Worboys’ victims had not been informed of the decision, but pointed out that it was the role of the Probation Service’s victim contact team to inform victims.Hardwick said he was “very surprised and shocked” to hear that two of Worboys’ victims had not been informed of the decision, but pointed out that it was the role of the Probation Service’s victim contact team to inform victims.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Friday: “[Whoever’s] fault it was I fully accept this was a problem with the parole system. This would have been absolutely horrible for the two women concerned and I apologise unreservedly.”He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Friday: “[Whoever’s] fault it was I fully accept this was a problem with the parole system. This would have been absolutely horrible for the two women concerned and I apologise unreservedly.”
Hardwick said the case highlighted the need for greater transparency in the Parole Board’s decision-making. “One of the frustrations of my role is that we are specifically forbidden by the Parole Board rules from disclosing the details of why we made a decision. I have set out, prior to this case, some radical plans for changing that.”Hardwick said the case highlighted the need for greater transparency in the Parole Board’s decision-making. “One of the frustrations of my role is that we are specifically forbidden by the Parole Board rules from disclosing the details of why we made a decision. I have set out, prior to this case, some radical plans for changing that.”
Asked about Cooper’s call to publish reasons for releasing Worboys, Hardwick said: “I agree that if justice is 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 would welcome the backing of MPs to do that.”Asked about Cooper’s call to publish reasons for releasing Worboys, Hardwick said: “I agree that if justice is 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 would welcome the backing of MPs to do that.”
On the decision itself he said: “The Parole Board is not having a second go at judging Warboys offence. What it was doing was making a decision about his risk going forward; and a very experienced panel who did that would have considered a huge dossier of evidence and witnesses to come to their decision.On the decision itself he said: “The Parole Board is not having a second go at judging Warboys offence. What it was doing was making a decision about his risk going forward; and a very experienced panel who did that would have considered a huge dossier of evidence and witnesses to come to their decision.
“It goes with the territory that we have to make very unpopular decisions. The offender has to demonstrate to us that they are safe to be released, for a prisoner like Worboys, who had an indeterminate sentence for public protection, that’s a hard thing to do.”“It goes with the territory that we have to make very unpopular decisions. The offender has to demonstrate to us that they are safe to be released, for a prisoner like Worboys, who had an indeterminate sentence for public protection, that’s a hard thing to do.”
The Metropolitan police said on Friday there was no current investigation into further allegations against Worboys.The Metropolitan police said on Friday there was no current investigation into further allegations against Worboys.
Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions at the time of the conviction and now a member of the shadow cabinet, urged any more alleged victims to come forward.Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions at the time of the conviction and now a member of the shadow cabinet, urged any more alleged victims to come forward.
Speaking to reporters outside his home in north London, Starmer said: “It is very important that if there any allegations that anybody thinks have not been looked into sufficiently, that they go to the police. Second, it is really important that what is said is factually accurate.Speaking to reporters outside his home in north London, Starmer said: “It is very important that if there any allegations that anybody thinks have not been looked into sufficiently, that they go to the police. Second, it is really important that what is said is factually accurate.
“The Crown Prosecution Service hold the file on this case. They made the decisions in the case and it is really important that you go to them to get an accurate read-out of the decisions that have been made.”“The Crown Prosecution Service hold the file on this case. They made the decisions in the case and it is really important that you go to them to get an accurate read-out of the decisions that have been made.”
Nazir Afzal, a former senior prosecutor, said the case should be reinvestigated. Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain he said: “We know that after his conviction, dozens and dozens of other allegations were made. I’m pretty sure we should reinvestigate those. If there is enough evidence he should be charged with those.Nazir Afzal, a former senior prosecutor, said the case should be reinvestigated. Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain he said: “We know that after his conviction, dozens and dozens of other allegations were made. I’m pretty sure we should reinvestigate those. If there is enough evidence he should be charged with those.
“Whilst I believe in rehabilitation I also believe in justice [and] clearly the view of many is that there has been insufficient justice here,” Afzal said.“Whilst I believe in rehabilitation I also believe in justice [and] clearly the view of many is that there has been insufficient justice here,” Afzal said.
“I’m concerned about the fact that victims have found out from media reports that he is coming out rather than hearing it directly from the police and the Parole Board and the lack of transparency around the process is also concerning.”“I’m concerned about the fact that victims have found out from media reports that he is coming out rather than hearing it directly from the police and the Parole Board and the lack of transparency around the process is also concerning.”
Sarah Greene, co-director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said it was “extremely poor practice” for the Parole Board not to inform victims of Worboys’ release.Sarah Greene, co-director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said it was “extremely poor practice” for the Parole Board not to inform victims of Worboys’ release.