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The Guardian World1 min read
John Worboys is denied parole for second time
TL;DR
John Worboys has been denied parole for the second time, with the Parole Board deciding against his release or transfer to open prison conditions. Worboys, convicted in 2009 for sex offences against 16 women, may have over 100 victims.
Key points
- John Worboys denied parole for the second time
- Parole Board prioritizes victim safety
- Worboys convicted of sex offences against 16 women
- Potentially over 100 victims identified
- Next parole hearing expected in one to two years
Mentioned in this story
John Worboys
The black-cab rapist John Worboys has been denied parole for the second time.
The Parole Board told his victims on Thursday that it had decided against either releasing Worboys or allowing him to move to open conditions within prison.
Open conditions in prison means offenders are held under minimal security and can work in the community.
Worboys, 68, was convicted in 2009 after being found guilty of assaulting his victims after drugging them with spiked drinks. He was found guilty of sex offences against 16 women, but police say he could have had more than 100 victims.
The Guardian understands there is not a fixed date for his next parole hearing, but that the board thinks it could be in about one to two years. The date is dependent on a decision from the Ministry of Justice and the work the offender would have to complete to be eligible for parole.
A Worboys victim who remained anonymous during the campaign to keep him behind bars, known as Sarah, told the Guardian: “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.”
Worboys coaxed his victims into taking drug-laced drinks from him after they got into his cab for a ride home. He would claim to have won the lottery or from betting on horses, showing his victims a bag of cash and offering them champagne.
Carrie Johnson, the wife of former prime minister Boris Johnson, testified against Worboys after taking a drink from him that she believed was spiked. She has been campaigning against his release from prison.
Johnson said: “It has been a hugely anxious wait knowing that Worboys was up for parole again. The relief I feel knowing that he will remain behind bars is hard to put into words. Women and girls across Britain are safer as a result of this decision.”
She had previously campaigned to keep him behind bars in 2018 after the Parole Board decided Worboys could be freed from prison after serving nearly 10 years. The decision was reversed after a legal challenge by his victims.
After the challenge, the Parole Board decided he should remain in jail because of his “sense of sexual entitlement”, among other reasons. A subsequent probation report in August 2019 found he was “potentially just as dangerous now as the point of the first sentence”.
Four more victims came forward in 2019, and Worboys was handed two life sentences, with a minimum term of six years.
This comes after the release of a new ITV drama Believe Me, which focuses on Sarah’s story and how the victims were failed by the Metropolitan police.
Q&A
Why was John Worboys denied parole again?
John Worboys was denied parole due to the Parole Board's decision against his release or transfer to open conditions, prioritizing the safety of his victims.
What are open conditions in prison?
Open conditions in prison refer to a minimal security environment where offenders can work in the community, but Worboys has not been allowed to move to such conditions.
When is John Worboys' next parole hearing expected?
There is no fixed date for John Worboys' next parole hearing, but it is anticipated to occur in about one to two years, depending on decisions from the Ministry of Justice.
