‘Black-cab rapist’ John Worboys to be released from prison after just 9 years
Black-cab rapist’ John Worboys to be released from prison after just 9 years The Man is believed to have drugged 100 victims before raping or sexually assaulting them was jailed for ‘indefinite sentence’ in 2009 The Parole Board should immediately publish its reasons for allowing the release of John Worboys, the rapist who police fear may have had more than 100 victims, MP Yvette Cooper has said. Cooper, the chairwoman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said she was “really shocked” by the release after serving less than nine years of what could have been an indefinite sentence. She called for scrutiny of the Parole Board’s reasoning before the prolific sex attacker is let out of jail. She said, “John Worboys’ release after only serving his minimum sentence of eight years is a shocking decision by the Parole Board, and deeply upsetting for the victims who have to live with Worboys’ horrific attack for the rest of their lives. “There are many serious questions why this dangerous man has been given parole after serving such a short sentence for his attacks against women. 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. We also need to know what information and support was given to all the victims before this decision was taken.” Worboys, 60, was jailed in April 2009 after a jury convicted him of 19 charges of drugging and sexually assaulting at least 12 women, including raping one of them. After his 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. He was handed an indeterminate sentence with a minimum term of eight years to be served before the parole board could approve his release. Nine months into his ninth year in prison, a three-person panel cleared him to be freed. He had already served about a year in jail on remand before his trial but even including this period, he will have served less than a year for every woman he was convicted of attacking. Yvonne Traynor, chief executive of Rape Crisis South London, said the time Worboys spent in jail was “woefully short”. “It feels far too soon for this dangerous and manipulative perpetrator to be released into the public, having served this woefully short time in prison,” she said. “He may be free to live among us but the women he raped will never be totally free from his despicable actions.” An indeterminate sentence does not have a fixed length of time, meaning no date is set for when the person will be released – but they have to spend a minimum amount of time in prison before they are considered for release. In a statement, the Parole Board said, “We can confirm that a three-member panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Mr John Worboys, following an oral hearing. “The arrangements for Mr Worboys’ release will be managed by the Ministry of Justice.”
