The new ITV drama Believe Me delves into the true story of serial rapist John Worboys and the systemic failures that allowed his crimes to continue. Written by Jeff Pope, the four-part series focuses on the victims and their battle for justice against the Metropolitan Police.
John Worboys, known as the 'black cab rapist', is currently serving a prison sentence. He was jailed in 2009 for 19 sex offences against 12 women, but his crimes spanned from 2002 to 2008, with an estimated 105 victims. The drama highlights how two victims, anonymised as 'Sarah' and 'Laila', sued the Met for violating their human rights, winning their claim in 2018 after the force failed to investigate their allegations effectively.
Speaking after the verdict, one victim said: 'You have the procedures in place, now start doing your job. Stop using public money to fight this case. Had you done your job properly there would not have been 105 victims.' The women received £41,250 in compensation and were instrumental in overturning Worboys' parole decision in 2018.
The Met's deputy commissioner, Sir Craig Mackey, acknowledged serious mistakes were made, stating: 'It was only the courage of the victims coming forward... that enabled us to finally convict Worboys.' The case set a precedent under the European Convention on Human Rights, allowing victims to argue they suffered inhuman or degrading treatment.
Aasiya Shah, who plays 'Sarah' in the drama, said she was shocked by the systemic nature of the failures: 'It's not just a one-time error. It's a continuous thing... There are a lot of attitudes that need shifting.' Jeff Pope added that writing the series was a 'wake-up call', saying: 'Women have to be able to get home safely, for God's sake.'
