The wife of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has stated that there could be as many as “1,000, if not more” victims of the notorious black cab rapist John Worboys. Carrie Johnson, who played a key role in bringing the serial sex attacker to justice, revealed that she has been contacted by additional women who believe they were assaulted by him.
Extent of Worboys’ crimes
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, she explained: “The truth is that his crimes span from, what we know, from 2000 up to when he was convicted in 2009. And he was a cab driver for that duration, out potentially every night in his cab, so there could be up to 1,000, if not more than that.” The Parole Board recently determined that Worboys “continues to represent a high risk of committing further serious sexual offences against women”.
Life sentence and parole refusal
Worboys is currently serving a life sentence after luring women into his taxi late at night, pretending he had won money and offering them celebratory drinks laced with drugs. Mrs Johnson, one of several women who campaigned to keep him behind bars, described the news of his parole refusal as a “huge relief” for many survivors. She noted that more individuals have come forward after watching an ITV dramatisation of the case, which she believes “might really help keep him behind bars for good”.
Call for victims to come forward
Mrs Johnson urged other potential victims to report their experiences: “I think there’ll be women who, like me, were drugged, who might not realise they were drugged, who just thought, God, maybe that last drink didn’t sit well with me, or now maybe they’ve seen what’s happened and they think: ‘Oh well, it’s done.’ I would urge them to come forward if they can.”
Background of the case
Worboys was first jailed in 2009 for 19 sexual offences against 12 victims between October 2006 and February 2008 in London, receiving an indefinite sentence for public protection with a minimum term of eight years. In December 2017, a Parole Board panel initially decided he was fit for release, but a legal challenge by two victims successfully overturned that decision. The ensuing public outcry led to changes in parole hearing rules, allowing some to be held in public and increasing scrutiny of the process.
Carrie Johnson’s personal account
Writing in the Daily Mail, Mrs Johnson reflected on her own encounter: “I was a 19-year-old university student when I got into the taxi of John Worboys – the man now known as the black cab rapist. Nearly 20 years on, while much has changed, I fear the way the police deal with crimes such as sexual assault and rape is no better than it was then.” She recounted how the cab driver spiked her drink after claiming he had won big at a casino. Although she managed to pour one glass of champagne onto the floor, he later returned with a spiked bottle of vodka. After making it home, she “never made it into my bed” but passed out in the bathroom, lying in the empty bathtub fully clothed.
Years later, when allegations against Worboys emerged, a friend she had confided in contacted her. Mrs Johnson was able to identify him in a police line-up and provided a mobile phone number he had given her. The publicity around the case led more victims to come forward, resulting in Worboys being charged with additional crimes dating between 2000 and 2008, which he admitted. In 2019, he was handed two life sentences with a minimum term of six years. He will be considered for parole again in approximately two years.
