The Parole Board has denied parole to John Worboys, the former black-cab driver known as the 'black-cab rapist', for the second time. The board informed his victims on Thursday that it had decided against releasing him or allowing him to move to open prison conditions.
Worboys, 68, was convicted in 2009 for drugging and assaulting women he picked up in his taxi. He was found guilty of sex offences against 16 women, but police believe he may have had over 100 victims. The Parole Board stated that there is no fixed date for his next hearing, but it could be in one to two years, depending on decisions from the Ministry of Justice and Worboys' progress in prison.
One victim, known as Sarah, expressed relief, saying: 'Thank goodness the right decision has been made and the Parole Board have recognised what a danger he is. We can all sleep lighter knowing he is still behind bars.' Carrie Johnson, wife of former prime minister Boris Johnson, who testified against Worboys after believing her drink was spiked, also welcomed the decision: 'Women and girls across Britain are safer as a result of this decision.'
Worboys had previously been considered for release in 2018, but that decision was reversed after a legal challenge by his victims. A subsequent probation report in 2019 found he was 'potentially just as dangerous now as at the point of the first sentence'. He was later handed two life sentences with a minimum term of six years after four more victims came forward.
The case has drawn renewed attention following the ITV drama 'Believe Me', which focuses on the victims' experiences and the Metropolitan Police's failures. In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that the police owed human rights damages to two victims after failing to arrest Worboys in 2003 and 2007, allowing him to continue his attacks.
