The Parole Board has denied parole to John Worboys, the so-called black cab rapist, for the second time. Victims were informed on Thursday that the board had decided against releasing him or allowing a move to open prison conditions, where inmates have minimal security and can work in the community.
Worboys, 68, was convicted in 2009 for drugging and assaulting women he picked up in his London taxi. He was found guilty of offences against 16 women, but police believe he may have had over 100 victims. The next parole hearing is expected in one to two years, depending on Ministry of Justice decisions and Worboys' progress in prison.
One victim, known as Sarah, said: “Thank goodness the right decision has been made… We can all sleep lighter knowing he is still behind bars.” Carrie Johnson, wife of former prime minister Boris Johnson, who testified against Worboys, added: “Women and girls across Britain are safer as a result of this decision.”
Worboys had previously been recommended for release in 2018, but the decision was reversed after a legal challenge. A 2019 probation report found he was “potentially just as dangerous now as at the point of the first sentence”. He later received two life sentences with a minimum term of six years after further victims came forward.
The case has drawn renewed attention following the ITV drama Believe Me, which focuses on the victims' experiences and police failures. In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that the Metropolitan Police owed damages to two victims for failing to arrest Worboys after earlier reports, allowing him to continue offending.
